ACROSS  THE  CHASM 


BY 

JULIA  MAGRUDER 


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WILLIAM  WALDORF  ASTOR  .  VALENTINO:  AN  HISTORICAL  ROMANCE 

ARLO  BATES A  WHEEL  OF  FIRE 

H.  H.  BOYESEN FALCONBERG 

MRS.  BURNETT THAT  LASS  o'  LOWRIE'S 

",       " VAGABONDIA:  A  LOVE  STORY 

G.  W.  CABLE JOHN  MARCH,  SOUTHERNER 

EDITH  CARPENTER YOUR  MONEY  OR  YOUR  LIFE 

EDWARD  EGGLESTON        .....       .THE  CIRCUIT  RIDER 

HAROLD  FREDERIC THE  LAWTON  GIRL 

ROBERT  GRANT FACE  TO  FACE 

MARION  HARLAND    .       .   JUDITH:  A  CHRONICLE  OF  OLD  VIRGINIA 
JOEL  CHANDLER  HARRIS         .       .  FREE  JOE  AND  OTHER  SKETCHES 

JULIAN  HAWTHORNE A  FOOL  OF  NATURE 

J.G.HOLLAND  .       .       .       .  SEVENOAKS:  A  STORY  OF  TO-DAY 

.       .       THE  BAY  PATH:  A  TALE  OF  COLONIAL  LIFE 

.  ARTHUR  BONNICASTLE:  AN  AMERICAN  STORY 

Miss  GILBERT'S  CAREER 

" NICHOLAS  MINTURN 

COM'R  J.  D.  J.  KELLEY     .....     A  DESPERATE  CHANCE 
G.  P.  LATHROP          ......       AN  ECHO  OF  PASSION 

JULIA  MAGRUDER ACROSS  THE  CHASM 

BRANDER  MATTHEWS       .....         THE  LAST  MEETING 

DONALD  G.  MITCHELL DREAM  LIFE 

....      REVERIES  OF  A  BACHELOR 

HOWARD  PYLE          WITHIN  THE  CAPES 

"  Q  "  (A.  T.  QUILLER-COUCH)       ...        THE  SPLENDID  SPUR 
"  "  ...       THE  DELECTABLE  DUCHY 

R.  L.  STEVENSON THE.  EBB-TIDE 

. TREASURE  ISLAND 

"  THE  WRONG  Box 

F.  J.  STIMSON  ' GUERNDALE 

FRANK  R.  STOCKTON       ......      RUDDER  GRANGE 

•*  ..."         .       .      .      •      .       THE  LADY  OR  THE  TIGER 


ACROSS  THE  CHASM 


BY 

JULIA  MAGRUDER 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1899 


COPYRIGHT.  1885, 
BY  CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SON& 


MANHATTAN  PRESS 

474  W.  BROADWAY 

NEW  YORK 


P3 


ACROSS  THE  CHASM. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MAEGAEET  TEEVENNON  was  young  and 
beautiful.  Her  faithful  biographer  can 
say  no  less,  though  aware  of  the  possibility 
that,  on  this  account,  the  satiated  reader  of 
romances  may  make  her  acquaintance  with  a 
certain  degree  of  reluctance,  reflecting  upon  the 
two  well-worn  types — the  maiden  in  the  first 
flush  of  youth,  who  is  so  immaculately  lovely  as 
to  be  extremely  improbable,  and  the  maturer 
female,  who  is  so  strong-minded  as  to  be  wholly 
ineligible  to  romantic  situations.  If  there  be 
only  these  two  classes  Miss  Trevennon  must 
needs  be  ranged  with  the  former.  Certainly 
the  particular  character  of  her  beauty  fore 
ordained  her  to  romantic  situations,  although 

it  must  be  said,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the 
1 


2061984 


Across  the  Chasm. 


term  "strong-minded"  was  one  which  had 
been  more  than  once  applied  to  her  by  those 
who  should  have  known  her  best. 

She  lived  with  her  parents  on  the  outskirts 
of  a  small  Southern  town,  in  a  dilapidated  old 
house,  that  had  once  been  a  grand  mansion. 
The  days  of  its  splendid  hospitality  had  passed 
away  long  since,  and  as  far  back  as  Margaret's 
memory  went  the  same  monotonous  tranquilli 
ty  had  pervaded  its  lofty  corridors  and  spacious 
rooms.  In  spite  of  this,  however,  it  was  a 
pleasant,  cheerful  home,  and  the  girl's  life,  up 
to  her  nineteenth  year,  had  been  passed  very 
happily  in  it.  She  had  had  occasional  changes 
of  scene,  such  as  a  visit  to  New  Orleans  or  a 
brief  season  at  some  small  Southern  watering- 
place  ;  but  she  had  never  been  North,  and  so 
by  birth  and  circumstance,  as  well  as  by  in 
stinct  and  training,  she  was  a  genuine  South 
ern  girl.  The  fact  that  Mr.  Trevennon  had 
managed  to  save  from  the  wreck  of  his  large 
fortune  a  small  independence,  had  afforded  his 
daughter  the  opportunity  of  seeing  something 


Across  the  Chasm. 


of  men  and  manners  beyond  her  own  hearth 
stone,  and  this,  together  with  her  varied  and 
miscellaneous  reading,  gave  her  a  range  of 
vision  wider  and  higher  than  that  enjoyed  by 
the  other  young  people  of  Bassett,  and  had 
imbued  her  with  certain  theories  and  opinions 
which  made  them  regard  her  as  eccentric. 

One  bright  autumnal  day,  when  the  weather 
was  still  warm  and  sunny  in  this  fair  Southern 
climate,  Miss  Trevennon,  clad  in  an  airy  white 
costume,  and  protected  from  the  sun  by  a  veil 
and  parasol,  took  her  way  with  the  rather 
quick  motions  usual  with  her,  down  the  main 
street  of  Bassett.  When  she  reached  the  cor 
ner  on  which  Martin's  drug  store  was  situated, 
she  crossed  over  and  passed  down  on  the  op 
posite  side ;  but,  doubly  screened  as  she  was, 
she  turned  her  eyes  in  that  direction  and  took 
a  hurried  survey  of  the  loungers  assembled 
on  the  pavement.  Perhaps  it  was  because  her 
gaze  especially  sought  him  out  that  she  saw 
Charley  Somers  first.  This  was  a  young  man 
who  had  been  her  unrequited  adorer,  hoping 


Across  the  Chasm. 


against  hope,  ever  since  they  had  gone  to  the 
village  school  together,  and  Margaret  had  all 
her  life  been  trying,  in  a  flashing,  impetuous 
way  that  she  had,  to  fire  him  with  some  of  the 
energy  and  enthusiasm  which  she  herself  posses 
sed  so  abundantly,  and  in  which  this  pleasant, 
easy,  indolent  young  Southerner  was  so  abso 
lutely  lacking.  Young  Somers  had  come  of  a 
long  line  of  affluent  and  luxurious  ancestors, 
and  though  cut  off  from  an  inheritance  in  their 
worldly  possessions,  he  had  fallen  heir  to 
many  of  their  personal  characteristics,  which 
hung  about  him  like  fetters  of  steel. 

Although  Miss  Trevennon  hurriedly  averted 
her  gaze  after  that  one  swift  glance,  she  had 
received  a  distinct  impression  of  Mr.  Somers' 
whole  manner  and  attitude,  as  he  sat  with  his 
chair  tipped  back  against  the  wall,  his  heels 
caught  on  its  topmost  round,  his  straw  hat 
pushed  back  from  his  delicate,  indolent  face, 
and  a  pipe  between  his  lips.  In  this  way  he 
would  sit  for  hours,  ringing  the  changes  on  the 
somewhat  restricted  theme  of  county  politics 


Across  the  Chasm. 


with  the  loungers  who  frequented  "Mar 
tin's."  The  mere  thought  of  it,  much  more 
the  sight,  infuriated  Miss  Trevennon.  She 
could  not  grow  accustomed  to  it,  in  spite  of 
long  habituation. 

As  she  tripped  along,  erect  and  quick,  she 
heard  a  familiar  footstep  behind  her,  and  in  a 
moment  more  was  joined  by  the  young  man. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ? "  he  said,  giving 
his  hat  a  little  careless  push  and  re-settle 
ment,  without  lifting  it  from  his  head.  "  May 
I  go  with  you  and  carry  your  basket  ?  " 

"  If  you  like,"  said  Margaret,  distantly,  yield 
ing  up  to  him  the  little  white-covered  basket. 
"  I  am  going  to  see  Uncle  Mose." 

"  As  usual !  What  has  Uncle  Mose  done  to 
be  so  petted  ?  I  wish  you  would  treat  me  with 
half  as  much  consideration." 

"I  don't  think  you  entitled  to  it,"  she  an 
swered.  "  Uncle  Mose  is  at  the  end  of  a  long 
life  of  continuous,  patient  labor,  and  has  won 
a  right  to  my  consideration,  which  you  never 
have.  You  have  often  heard  me  say,  of  course, 


Across  the  Chasm. 


that  ever  since  I've  been  able  to  form  an  opin 
ion  at  all,  I've  been  a  thorough-going  Aboli 
tionist  ;  but  all  the  same,  I  think  there  is  vir 
tue  in  a  system  which  makes  a  man  work, 
whether  he  wills  it  or  not.  Servitude  itself 
seems  to  me  a  nobler  life  than  absolute  idle 
ness." 

"  Oh,  the  same  old  thing !  "  said  the  young 
man,  wearily.  "  I  wonder  when  you  will  give 
up  expecting  me  to  be  a  paragon !  " 

"I've  given  it  up  long  ago.  I've  seen  the 
futility  of  any  such  expectation;  but  I  will 
never  give  up  wishing  that  you  would  be  a 
man,  and  do  something  worthy  of  a  man." 

"  You  can't  say  I  don't  work.  I  attend  to  my 
cases,  and  am  always  on  hand  during  court 
week." 

"  Provided  it  doesn't  clash  with  fishing 
week  or  hunting  week,  or  any  pursuit  that 
happens  to  offer  a  more  attractive  prospect 
than  that  of  discussing  county  politics  and 
smoking  bad  tobacco  with  some  other  loungers 
at' Martin's '!" 


Across  the  Chasm. 


"  I  know  I  am  not  what  you  like,"  said  Som- 
ers  despondently ;  "but  there  is  one  thing  that 
would  make  me  different.  If  you  would  give 
me  some  hope  for  the  future " 

"  I  begged  you  never  to  say  that  again,"  in 
terrupted  Margaret,  quickly.  "  You  know  how 
indignant  it  makes  me,  and  the  worst  of  it  is 
that  you  really  believe  it  to  be  true.  If  you 
won't  do  right  for  right's  sake,  you  would  never 
do  it  for  mine." 

He  made  no  answer  to  her  words.  But  one 
form  of  response  suggested  itself,  and  to  that 
he  knew  she  was  in  no  mood  to  listen ;  so, 
for  the  space  of  a  few  moments,  they  walked 
along  in  silence.  But  Margaret's  thoughts 
were  very  active,  and  presently  she  broke  out : 

"  Why,  Charley,  when  I  heard  you  complain 
ing  the  other  day,  that  the  tailor  who  has  a 
shop  opposite  you  kept  you  from  sleeping  in 
the  morning  by  his  violin  practice  begun  at 
daylight,  I  remembered  how  you  had  told  me 
once  that  you  frequently  saw  him  at  his  work 
until  after  midnight ;  and  do  you  know  what  I 


8  Across  the  Chasm. 

thought  ?  I  thought :  I  wish  to  goodness 
Charley  would  try  to  be  a  little  more  like  him." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  the  young  man  cried, 
angrily.  "  You  don't  know  what  you  are  talking 
about.  Do  you  think  I  could  ever  so  far  forget 
myself  as  to  imitate  a  beastly  little  Yankee 
tailor,  or  to  desire  to  be  like  him  in  any  way 
whatever  ?  I  can  stand  a  good  deal  from  you, 
Margaret,  but  this  is  a  little  too  much  1 " 

"  Of  course  !  His  happening  to  be  a  Yankee 
puts  him  down  at  once.  But  I  can  tell  you 
what  it  is,  Charley,  there  is  one  lesson  you 
might  profitably  learn  from  him,  and  that  the 
most  important  in  the  world  for  you.  It  is,  to 
make  something  of  the  powers  you  have.  That 
poor  little  man  has  no  possibilities,  I  suppose, 
beyond  the  attainment  of  a  certain  degree  of 
skill  in  making  clothing,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
learning  to  play  popular  airs  indifferently  on  a 
cracked  little  fiddle,  on  the  other.  But  with 
you,  how  different  it  is !  Papa  says  you  would 
be  an  able  lawyer,  but  for  the  trifling  obstacle 
that  you  don't  know  any  law.  We  all  know 


Across  the  Chasm.  9 

how  well  you  talk,  on  those  rare  occasions  on 
which  you  become  really  interested.  And  as 
to  the  other  point,  the  music — oh,  Charley, 
what  mightn't  your  voice  become,  if  you  would 
avail  yourself  of  the  means  of  cultivation  with 
in  your  reach?  But  no!  Your  teacher  told  you 
that  you  must  practise  patiently  and  contin 
uously  to  procure  its  proper  development,  and 
this  you  would  not  do;  it  was  too  trouble 
some  ! " 

"Trouble  apart,"  said  Somers,  "the  notion 
does  not  please  me,  and  I  must  say  I  wonder 
that  you,  who  make  such  a  point  of  manliness 
in  a  man,  should  favor  any  one's  regularly  pre 
paring  himself  to  be  the  sort  of  drawing-room 
pet  that  one  of  your  trained  song-singers  is 
certain  to  become." 

"  You  can  say  the  most  aggravating  things !  " 
said  Margaret.  "  Is  it  possible  that  you  can 
consider  it  unmanly  to  cultivate  such  a  gift  as 
that  ?  But  what's  the  use  of  all  this  ?  You 
don't  care." 

"No,  I  don't    care    much,"    he   answered 


10  Across  flue  Chasm. 

slowly.  "  When  a  man  has  one  supreme,  para 
mount  care  forever  possessing  him,  and  is 
constantly  being  told  that  the  object  of  his  de 
sires  is  beyond  his  reach,  other  things  don't 
matter  very  much." 

At  the  sight  of  the  weary  discontent  on  his 
handsome  face,  her  heart  softened,  and  as  they 
stopped  before  the  little  cabin,  which  was 
their  destination,  she  said  kindly : 

"Come  in  and  see  Uncle  Mose  with  me, 
won't  you  ?  " 

But  the  young  man  excused  himself  rather 
hurriedly,  and  delivering  the  basket  into  her 
hands  he  said  good-morning,  and  walked  rap 
idly  back  toward  the  town. 

Margaret  pushed  open  the  door  of  the  wretch 
ed  little  cabin,  and  just  within  sat  Uncle  Mose, 
engaged  in  his  customary  avocation  of  shoe- 
making,  or  to  speak  more  accurately,  shoe- 
mending.  He  was  a  spare  and  sinewy  old 
negro,  whose  age,  according  to  his  own  account, 
was  "  somewhar  high  up  in  de  nineties."  He 
was  much  bowed  in  figure,  and  lame  in  one  leg. 


Across  the  Chasm.  11 

Bushy  tufts  of  dull  gray  hair  rose  on  each  side 
of  his  brown  and  polished  crown,  and  his 
wrinkled  and  sunken  cheeks  were  quite  beard 
less.  His  expression  was  one  of  placid  benev 
olence  and  contentment — a  strange  contrast  to 
his  surroundings.  The  room  he  occupied  was 
hideously  squalid  and  confused.  The  roof 
sloped  in  one  direction  and  the  floor  in  an 
other,  and  the  stove,  which  was  unreasonably 
large,  in  a  third.  Old  phials,  suspended  by 
their  necks  and  partly  filled  with  muddy  li 
quids,  decorated  the  walls,  together  with  a  pair 
of  patched  boots,  a  string  of  red  peppers, 
several  ears  of  pop-corn,  and  a  leather-covered 
whipstock.  In  one  corner  hung  a  huge  walk 
ing  cane.  Everything  was  thickly  coated  with 
dust. 

The  old  man  was  seated  near  the  perilously 
one-sided  stove,  in  which  a  fire  smoked  and 
smouldered,  though  it  was  a  balmy  day,  and  in 
front  of  which  a  rusty  old  iron  spade  did  duty 
for  a  door.  His  few  old  tools  and  pegs  and 
twines  were  on  a  broken  chair  beside  him. 


12  Across  ike,  Chasm. 

When  he  looked  up,  over  the  top  of  his  brass- 
rimmed  spectacles,  and  saw  who  his  visitor  was, 
he  broke  into  a  broad  smile  of  welcome,  as  he 
raised  his  withered  old  hand  to  his  head  in 
token  of  salutation. 

"  Dat  you,  missis  ?  "  he  said.  "  "What  bin 
fetch  you  out  dis  time  o'  day  ?  I  is  glad  to  see 
you,  sho'.  Come  in,  en  take  a  seat." 

He  swept  his  tools  and  twines  from  the 
wooden  seat  to  the  floor,  and  rubbed  the  dusty 
surface  several  times  with  his  hard  palm.  Mar 
garet  at  once  sat  down,  laying  her  long  white 
draperies  across  her  lap,  to  protect  them  from 
the  dusty  floor,  showing  a  pair  of  neat  little 
boots  as  she  did  so.  Then  she  took  off  the 
cover  of  the  basket,  and  revealed  its  contents 
to  the  old  man's  delighted  gaze. 

"  Well,  missis,  to  be  sho' !  "  he  exclaimed,  his 
features  relaxing  in  a  grin  of  anticipative  en 
joyment,  "  Light  bread,  en  chicken,  en  grapes  ! 
en  what's  dis,  missis?  Gemarna!*  Whoo! 
How  come  you  bin  know  so  good  what  I  done 

*  Blanc-mange. 


Across  the  Chasm.  13 

bin  hankerin'  arter?  I  gwine  tase  a  little, 
right  now." 

And  using  his  shoemaking  weapon  as  knife, 
fork  and  spoon  indifferently,  he  fell  to  in  ear 
nest.  He  had  probably  been  honest  in  his  in 
tention  of  only  tasting  a  little,  feeling  it  per 
haps  a  lack  of  decorum  to  eat  in  the  presence 
of  his  guest ;  but  once  embarked  on  the  allur 
ing  enterprise,  he  was  in  no  humor  to  relax, 
and,  uttering  from  time  to  time  expressive  ejac 
ulations  of  enjoyment,  he  went  on  and  on,  until 
only  the  fruit  remained.  As  he  wiped  his 
mouth  on  the  back  of  his  hand,  he  drew  a  long 
sigh  of  contented  repletion. 

"  Dat  wor  good,  sure  'nuff,  missis,"  he  said. 
"White  folks'  vittles  tase  mighty  chice  to  me 
now,  I  tell  you." 

"  I'm  glad  you  liked  it,  Uncle  Mose,"  said 
Margaret.  "  But  tell  me — I  always  meant  to 
ask  you — where  that  immense  stick  came  from. 
Did  any  one  ever  use  it  ?  " 

"  What,  dat  air  ole  stick,  missis  ?  Why,  bress 
you,  honey,  dat  air  ole  stick  wor  ole  mars'r's, 


14  Across  the  Chasm. 

whar  lie  bin  use  ter  take  when  he  druv  out  in 
de  kyarrge,  arter  he  bin  git  so  big  en  fat.  Yes, 
missis  ;  he  bin  put  he  han's  on  de  top  en  res' 
he  chin  on  'em,  en  when  I  bin  had  ter  git  out'n 
de  ole  place,  de  bin  gin  it  ter  me  fur  a  sort  o' 
memorandum." 

"  You  were  mighty  fond  of  your  old  master, 
weren't  you,  Uncle  Mose  ?  "  asked  Margaret. 

"  Ah,  dat's  a  fac',  missis — dat's  a  fac'.  Ole 
mars'r  war  mighty  good  to  us.  De  wor  three 
hund'rd  on  us,  en  he  wor  de  mars'r,  en  we  had 
ter  know  it.  He  done  bin  gin  he  niggers 
mighty  good  chance,  ole  mars'r  is.  Ebery 
man  bin  had  he  pig  en  he  chickens,  en  ole 
mars'r  he  buy  de  young  chickens  en  de  eggs, 
en  pay  us  de  market  price  fur  'em.  Yes, 
missis." 

"  And  what  would  you  do  with  the  money, 
Uncle  Mose  ?  "  Margaret  asked. 

"  Dress  my  wife,  missis.  Lor'  yes,  dress  my 
wife,  en  Queen.  Queen  war  my  oldes'  daugh 
ter ;  en  if  you  b'lieve  me,  missis,  I  dress  dem 
two  niggers  same  as  de  done  bin  white.  I 


Across  the  Chasm.  15 

bin  lucky  nigger  all  my  life,  missis.  Ole  mars'r 
wor  good  enough,  en  when  he  bin  die  en  young 
Rawjer  take  de  place,  t'war  mos'  same  as  heb- 
ben.  I  dunno  how  come  young  Rawjer  wor  so 
mile,  for  all  he  par  wor  so  blusterin'.  You  see 
ole  mars'r  he  mighty  quick  en  hot-heddy.  He 
let  out  at  you  sometimes,  en  hawler  'twel  you 
think  he  gwine  tar  you  to  pieces ;  but  done 
you  be  skeered,  missis  ;  he  ain'  gwine  hit  you 
a  lick.  When  de  new  overseers  'd  come,  ole 
mars'r  he  'low  de  mus'  keep  us  down  en  work 
us  hard,  but  Lor'  missis,  he  ain'  mean  it.  He 
gwine  watch  mighty  close  nobody  don'  'buse 
his  niggers,  en  he  giv  'em  plenty  good  food  to 
eat,  and  see  it  done  bin  cook  right,  too.  De 
did'n  have  no  plates  en  knives  to  eat  with.  No 
missis;  but  what  dem  niggers  want  long  o' 
plates  en  knives  ?  De  ain'  got  no  right  to  com 
plain  cause  de  ain'  eat  ofFn  chany.  De  needn't 
think  ole  mars'r  gwine  let  em  come  sit  down  at 
his  table  long  o'  him,  'kus  he  worn'  gwine  do  it, 
en  he  did'n  do  it.  No,  missis. 
The  old  man's  tone  was  one  of  vehement  in- 


16  Across  the  Chasm. 

dorsement  of  his  master's  policy,  that  there 
could  be  no  mistaking. 

"  Did  you  marry  one  of  your  own  master's 
slaves,Uncle  Mose  ?  "  asked  Margaret,  presently. 

"  No,  missis,"  Uncle  Mose  responded  bland 
ly  ;  "  I  marry  a  gal  whar  'long  to  one  Mr.  Fitz- 
hugh.  De  war  heap  o'  likely  gals  whar  'long 
to  ole  mars'r,  some  bright  yaller,  and  some 
black  ez  coals,  en  some  mos'  white,  but  seem 
like  I  could'n  make  up  my  mine  to  marry  air 
one  on  'em,  I  dunno  what  make  I  could'n 
take  to  'em,  but  't'war  no  use !  I  bin  sot  my 
eyes  on  a  tall  black  gal,  over  to  Mars'r  George 
.FzYshugh's,  en  ebery  other  Sad'dy  ole  mars'r 
lemme  knock  off  early  en  go  see  her.  She 
done  bin  younger'n  me,  some  odd  yeers,  en  I 
tell  her  I  wor'n'  gwine  cheat  'er.  I  tell  her 
she  mought  look  roun'  a  while,  'fo'  we  bin 
settle  de  thing.  So,  eff  you  b'lieve  me,  missis, 
I  bin  wait  on  her  three  yeers,  'fo'  she  compose 
her  mine  to  marry  me." 

"Well,  and  what  became  of  her?  "  said  Mar 
garet,  as  he  paused  ruminatively. 


\ 
Across  the  Chasm.  17 

"  Arter  'bout  fo'  yeers,  missis,  she  wor  sole 
away,  Liza  wor,"  lie  said  in  tones  as  benign 
and  free  from  resentment  as  ever.  "  Lor'  me, 
missis,  how  well  I  mine  dat  day  !  I  bin'  come 
up  from  de  fiel'  like  t'wor  down  datterway " 
(suiting  the  action  to  the  word),  "  de  paff  run 
long  by  de  cabin  do'  pretty  much.  It  wor  like 
it  done  bin  dis  pass  Chewsdy  dat  I  come  up 
to  de  do',  en  Aun'  Tetsy,  she  tell  me  she  heer 
'Liza  done  bin  sole.  I  stop  short  like,  en  I  say 
'  what  ?  '  en  she  tell  me  agin,  en  say  she  bin 
heer'd  de  done  fetch  her  down  to  town  ter  take 
her  off  in  de  drove.  I  struck  out  for  de  great- 
'us  at  dat,  en  I  tell  ole  mars'r  all  'bout  it. 
*  Knock  off  work,  Mose,'  ole  mars'r  say,  'en  go 
to  town  en  see  eff  she's  thar.  'T'ain'  no  use 
try  ter  keep  her,  but  mebbe  you  can  see  her 
en  de  chillun  onc't  mo'.  You  kin  take  White- 
foot.'  1  prick  up  my  yeers  at  dat,  for  White- 
foot  war  de  fleetes'  horse  ole  mars'r  got.  Lor', 
missis,  I  wish  yer  could  'a  see  dat  filly.  De 
ain'  no  sich  hosses  now.  Her  legs  war  clean 
en  straight  ez  a  poplar,  en  her  coat " 


18  Across  the  Chasm. 

"But,  Uncle  Mose,  go  on  about  'Liza." 

"  'T'war  no  use,  missis,"  he  said,  with  a  pa 
tient  head-shake.  "  When  I  got  to  town  I  bin 
hurry  to  de  jail  to  see  eff  de  bin  lodge  de  gang 
in  dar,  but  de  tell  me  'Liza  bin  gone  off  wid 
de  rest  on  'em  dat  very  mornin'." 

He  ceased  speaking,  and  sat  staring  in  front 
of  him  in  a  preoccupied  and  ruminative  way, 
from  which  Margaret  saw  it  would  be  necessa 
ry  to  recall  him. 

"  Well — what  else,  Uncle  Mose  ?  "  she  said 
gently;  "what  finally  became  of  your  wife?" 

"  Which  wife,  missis  ?  "  he  replied,  rousing 
himself  by  an  effort,  and  looking  about  him 
blankly;  "I  had  three  on  'em." 

Margaret  refrained  from  asking  whether  it 
had  been  a  case  of  "trigamy,"  or  whether 
they  had  been  successive,  and  said  : 

"  You  were  telling  me  about  'Liza's  being 
sold  away.  Did  you  never  see  her  again?  " 

"  No,  missis,"  the  old  man  answered  gently. 
"  I  never  see  '  Liza  no  mo'.  I  see  a  man  whar 
met  her  on  de  road,  en  he  say  she  bin  had  de 


Across  the  Chasm.  19 

baby  in  her  arms,  walkin'  'long  wid  de  gang,  en 
de  t'other  chile  wor  in  de  cart  wid  de  balance  o' 
de  chillun,  en  he  say  'Liza  busted  out  a-cryin', 
en  'low  he  mus'  tell  her  ole  man,  eff  we  did  'n 
meet  no  mo'  here  blow,  she  hope  to  meet  in 
Hebben.  En  he  ax  her  den  whar  she  gwine 
ter,  en  she  say  she  dunno,  she  think  she  bin 
heerd  em  say  t'wor  Alabammer ;  en  dat's  de 
las'  word  I  ever  heer  o'  'Liza.  Yes,  missis." 

Another  meditative  pause  followed,  and 
Margaret's  sympathetic  eyes  could  see  that  he 
was  far  back  in  the  past. 

"  I  bin  had  a  daughter  sole  away,  too,  mis 
sis,"  he  went  on  presently.  "  Yes,  missis.  She 
'long  to  one  Mr.  Lane.  He  bin  a  hard  mars'r, 
en  he  treated  on  her  mighty  bad,  'twel  arter 
while  she  run  off  en  went  en  put  herself  in 
jail.  Yes,  missis." 

"  How  could  she  put  herself  in  jail  ?  " 

"  Dat  how  de  do,  missis.  You  see,  when  she 
bin  run  away,  eff  she  done  git  caught,  de  have 
to  put  her  in  jail.  So  she  jes'  go  en  give  her 
self  up,  en  say  she  won'  go  back  ter  Mr.  Lane, 


20  Across  the  Chasm. 

— she  be  sole  fust !  So  arter  Mr.  Lane  fine  out 
she  one  o'  dat  sort,  he  sole  her.  It  so  happen 
dat  my  brother  Sawney  wor  gwine  'long  de 
road,  en  she  wor  passin'  in  de  cart,  en  she 
hawler  out :  '  Howdy,  Unc'  Sawney ! '  en 
Sawney  say :  '  Hi !  who  dat  know  me,  en  I 
don'  know  dem  ?  '  En  she  say  :  '  Lor'  Unc' 
Sawney,  don't  you  know  Unc'  Mose's  Queen  ?  ' 
En  Sawney  say  :  *  Hi,  Queen  !  Dat  ain'  you  ! 
Whar  you  gwine  to  ?  '  En  she  say :  '  I  dunno, 
I  ruther  fer  ter  go  enny where  den  to  stay  whar 
I  done  bin.'  En  I  ain'  never  heerd  o'  Queen 
since." 

At  this  point  the  old  man  was  seized  with  a 
fit  of  coughing,  which  he  made  great  efforts  to 
repress,  and  fluently  apologized  for. 

"You  must  excuse  me,  young  missis,"  he  said. 
"  I  bin  cotch  a  bad  cole,  en  it  cough  me  all 
day  en  cough  me  all  night,  clar  'twel  mornin'. 
I'se  gettin'  mighty  ole  en  shacklin'.  Yes, 
missis. 

"De  all  been  mighty  good  to  me,  missis," 
went  on  Uncle  Mose,  after  a  short  pause, 


Across  the  Chasm.  21 

"from  ole  mars'r  down.  I  hope  to  meet 
'em  all  in  Hebben.  Ole  mars'r  ain'  bin 
much  fer  religion  in  he  life;  but  he  die  a 
mighty  peaceful,  happy  death,  en  he  forgive 
all  he  enemies.  He  bin  kind  en  merciful,  en  I 
'low  de  Lord  '11  take  him  in.  He  always  give 
his  niggers  heap  o'  religious  encouragement, 
en  when  we  bin  go  to  de  lick  to  be  babiize, 
he  bin  gin  us  de  fines'  kind  o'  notes  to  de 
preacher,  en  eff  you  bin  tell  a  lie  or  steal  a 
chicken  he  ain'  gwine  say  de  fuss  word  'bout 
it.  Ef  he  come  roun'  to  de  cabin  while  we  bin 
had  meetin',  he  ain'  gwine  make  no  'sturbance. 
He  wait  roun'  'twel  we  done  sing  de  Doxoligum, 
en  den  he  say  what  he  come  fer." 

"  Your  religion  has  been  a  great  comfort  to 
you,  Uncle  Mose — hasn't  it  ?  "  said  Margaret, 
making  an  effort  to  keep  back  an  irrepressible 
smile. 

"  Ah,  dat's  a  fac',  missis — dat's  a  fac',  it  has. 
Sometime  it  animate  me  very  strong,  en  make 
me  tower  high  'bove  de  world ;  but  den  agin, 
sometime  de  very  las'  bit  on  it  takes  to  flight, 


22  Across  the  Chasm. 

en  ef  you  b'lieve  me,  missis,  I  ain'  got  no  more 
religion  den  de  palm  o'  your  tan' !  " 

"  The  greatest  saints  have  complained  of 
that,  Uncle  Mose,"  said  Margaret ;  "  it  is  one 
of  the  devil's  strongest  temptations." 

"  What,  ole  Sat'n,  missis  ?  Talk  to  me  'bout 
ole  Sat'n !  Don't  I  know  him  ?  You  just  give 
him  de  chance  en  he  gwine  fight  you,  mean 
enough ! " 

Margaret,  much  amused,  was  about  to  make 
a  move  to  go,  when  Uncle  Mose  arrested  her 
intention  by  saying : 

"  En  so  Mars'  Rawjer  got  a  little  gal  gwine 
git  married.  Well,  well,  well !  Is  I  ever  bin 
tell  you,  missis,  'bout  de  time  I  whip  young 
Rawjer  ?  Ha  !  ha  !  ha !  I  tell  you,  missis,  I 
whale  him  good.  He  make  me  mad  one  day, 
'bout  ketchin  de  white  folks'  hosses,  en  I 
break  me  a  little  sprout,  whar  sprung  up  'side 
a  ole  stump,  in  de  very  fiel'  I  help  to  clar 
forty  yeers  ago,  en  I  warm  he  jacket  fer  him, 
good  fashion.  I  mighty  feared  he  gwine  tell 
he  par,  but  arter  I  git  up  by  de  stable,  I  does 


Across  the  Chasm.  23 

take  my  han'  en  slap  it  'gin  de  stone  fence,  en 
one  de  little  white  boys  say,  '  I  tell  you,  Uncle 
Mose  kin  hit  hard  ' ;  en  I  say  '  Ah,  dat  I  kin, 
chile ;  dat's  a  fac ; '  en  eff  you  b'lieve  me,  I 
skeered  dat  chile  so  bad,  he  ain'  never  tell  he 
par  yit ; "  and  Uncle  Mose  went  off  into  a  long 
chuckle  of  delight.  "  When  he  bin  git  mar 
ried  en  bring  he  wife  home,  we  all  went  up  to 
de  house  to  see  'em,  en  drink  de  healths,  en  he 
tell  de  young  missis  this  war  Mose  whar  bin 
gin  him  that  air  whippin'  he  bin  tole  her 
'bout.  She  war  mighty  pretty  little  thing,  wid 
yaller  hair  en  great  big  sof  blue  eyes,  en  a 
little  han'  ez  sof  en  white  ez  snow.  I  was  mos' 
feared  to  ketch  hold  on  it,  wid  my  ole  black 
paw,  but  she  would  shake  han's  wid  me,  en  she 
'lowed  maybe  t'wor  dat  whippin'  what  make  her 
husman  sich  a  good  man,  en  Mars'  Bawjer  he 
look  at  her  fit  to  eat  her  up.  She  bin  use  ter 
gin  out  to  de  han's,  arter  she  come,  but  Aun' 
Kitty  she  tote  de  smoke-'us  key." 

As  Margaret  rose  to  take  leave,  the  old  man 
rose  also. 


24  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  I  mighty  proud'n  dat  dinner  you  bin  fotch 
me,  missis,"  he  said.  "  Give  my  'spects  to  yo' 
par  en  mar,  en  call  agin,  missis."  And  he  lifted 
his  cap  and  bowed  her  out  with  punctilious 
politeness. 

As  Margaret  took  her  way  homeward  from 
the  old  negro's  cabin,  she  was  conscious  of  a 
more  than  usual  softness  in  her  heart  for 
Uncle  Mose  and  his  reminiscences,  and  all  the 
customs  and  traditions  of  which  he  was  the 
exponent.  Even  Charley  Somers  seemed  less 
reprehensible  than  he  had  been  an  hour  ago, 
for  the  old  man's  talk  had  brought  before  her 
mind  a  system  of  things  of  which  the  inertia 
and  irresponsibleness  that  jarred  upon  her  so, 
in  the  people  around  her,  seemed  the  logical 
outgrowth.  She  had  often  been  told  that  her 
father,  when  a  small  boy,  had  been  every  day 
drawn  to  and  from  his  school  in  a  diminutive 
coach  pulled  by  ten  little  negroes ;  and  a  num 
ber  of  similar  anecdotes  which  she  could  recall 
gave  her  an  insight  into  the  absolute  difference 
between  that  regime  and  the  present,  that  made 


Across  the  Chasm.  25 

her  somewhat  ashamed  of  her  intolerance,  and 
mollified  considerably  her  feeling  toward  young 
Somers,  whom  she  determined  to  serve  more 
kindly  at  their  next  interview.  She  was 
prompted  further  to  this  resolve  by  the  fact  that 
she  had  something  to  break  to  the  young  man, 
which  she  feared  would  go  rather  hard  with  him. 
An  opportunity  which  she  had  often  longed 
for,  to  see  the  great  world  beyond  her  own 
section  of  country,  and  observe  the  manners 
and  habits  of  men  and  women  whose  circum 
stances  and  traditions  were  directly  opposed  to 
her  own,  had  been  offered  recently  by  a  letter, 
received  from  a  cousin  who  had  married  an 
army  officer  and  was  living  in  Washington, 
which  conveyed  an  invitation  for  her  to  make 
her  a  visit.  Her  father  and  mother  highly  ap 
proved  the  plan  and  it  seemed  settled  that  she 
was  to  go,  and  while  she  longed  for  the  new 
experience,  she  found  her  thoughts  dwelling 
rather  tenderly  on  the  dear  old  home  and 
friends,  of  whom,  it  seemed  to  her  now,  she  had 
been  ungratefully  impatient. 


CHAPTEB  n. 

A  FEW  weeks  later,  Miss  Trevennon  found 
herself  domesticated  in  her  cousin's  house 
in  Washington,  with  surroundings  so  unfamiliar 
and  circumstances  so  new  to  her  that  she 
found  something  to  excite  her  interest  and  sur 
prise  almost  every  hour  in  the  day.  The  per 
fect  appointments  of  the  house,  which  was 
gotten  up  with  all  the  appliances  of  modern 
art,  delighted  and  diverted  her  at  every  turn. 
"  The  mud-scraper,"  she  wrote  her  mother,  in 
her  first  letter  home,  "is  a  thing  of  beauty,  and 
the  coal-scuttle  a  joy  forever." 

There  were  no  children  in  the  family,  which 
consisted  only  of  General  and  Mrs.  Gaston  and 
a  bachelor  brother  of  the  former,  who  made 
his  home  with  them,  although  a  large  portion 
of  his  time  was  spent  in  New  York.  Margaret 
had  already  been  an  inmate  of  the  house  for 
ten  days,  and  as  yet  had  not  seen  him.  Mrs. 


Across  the  Chasm.  27 

Gaston,  however,  informed  her  that  he  might 
appear  at  any  moment,  his  trips  to  and  from 
New  York  being  too  frequent  to  entail  the  for 
mality  of  announcing  himself. 

Mrs.  Gaston  was  a  very  clever  and  agreeable 
woman  and  pretended,  with  some  reason,  to 
know  the  world.  Her  marriage  had  been  con 
sidered  quite  a  brilliant  one,  as  General  Gas- 
ton's  position,  both  social  and  official,  was  ex 
tremely  good,  and  he  had  quite  a  large  private 
fortune  in  addition  to  his  pay.  He  was  not 
so  clever  as  his  wife,  but  more  thoughtful  and 
perhaps  more  sincere.  It  was  a  successful 
marriage,  and  the  Gaston  establishment  was 
tasteful  and  well  ordered.  Mrs.  Gaston,  whose 
health  was  indifferent,  kept  her  room  a  good 
deal  when  she  could  escape  the  exactions  of 
society,  which  she  never  allowed  herself  to 
shirk;  and  her  husband  was  so  much  absorbed 
in  his  official  and  social  duties  that  Margaret 
was  often  alone. 

"I  am  afraid  you  are  frequently  dull,  my 
dear,"   Mrs.  Gaston  said  to  her  cousin  one 


28  Across  the  Chasm. 

morning,  as  the  latter  sat  beside  her  couch  in 
the  little  dressing-room  where  the  invalid  was 
taking  her  breakfast.  "  It  will  be  brighter  for 
you  when  the  season  fairly  opens ;  but  I  pur 
posely  begged  you  to  come  now,  so  that  we 
might  have  time  to  make  acquaintance  while 
we  are  quiet.  I  wish  Louis  would  come  home, 
but  there's  never  any  counting  on  him,  he's  so 
frightfully  busy  all  the  time.  I  never  saw  a 
man  work  so  hard  in  my  life." 

Margaret  looked  a  little  puzzled :  "  I  thought 
you  told  me "  she  began, 

"That  he  is  well  off?  So  he  is.  He  has 
quite  a  nice  little  fortune  and  there's  no  earthly 
reason  why  he  should  work  so  hard,  except 
that  he  likes  it ;  and  from  that  point  of  view  I 
don't  blame  him.  *  Pleasure  the  way  you  like 
it,'  is  an  axiom  for  which  I  have  a  profound 
respect,  and  Louis  undoubtedly  finds  his  chief 
pleasure  in  application  to  his  profession," 

"  What  is  his  profession  ?  "  Margaret  asked ; 
for,  although  it  was  evident  that  Mrs.  Gaston 
was  very  fond  of  her  brother-in-law,  she  had, 


Across  the  Chasm.  29 

for  some  reason,  said  very  little  about  him  to 
her  cousin. 

"  He's  an  architect — I  thought  you  knew — 
Ames  &  Gaston.  Have  you  never  heard  of 
them?" 

"No,"  said  Margaret,  shaking  her  head  and 
smiling,  "but  that  does  not  go  for  much.  I 
am  finding  out  that  I  have  never  heard  of 
most  things." 

"It's  really  quite  delightful  that  you  never 
heard  of  Ames  &  Gaston,"  said  Cousin  Eu 
genia,  laughing.  "  I  shall  inform  Louis  prompt 
ly,  though  he  won't  believe  it,  or  if  he  does 
he'll  set  it  down  to  the  obtuseness  of  Southern 
people — a  foregone  conclusion  in  his  mind  !  I 
must  tell  you  that  I  anticipate  some  pleasure 
in  seeing  you  enlighten  him  on  that  score." 

"  I  am  afraid  I  shall  not  be  able  to  do  much," 
said  Margaret.  "  I  do  feel  myself  extremely 
ignorant  by  the  side  of  General  Gaston  and 
yourself,  especially  when  you  talk  of  modern 
literature  and  art  and  music." 

"  You  need  not,  I  assure  you.  We  are  neither 


30  Across  the  Chasm. 

of  us  more  than  '  cleverly  smattered '  on  these 
subjects.  Edward  knows  more  than  I  do, 
though  every  one,  himself  included,  believes 
the  contrary.  It's  quite  another  thing  with 
Louis,  however ;  he's  a  swell  at  that  sort  of 
thing,  and  is  really  thorough,  and  yet,  do  you 
know,  I  sometimes  manage  to  impose  on  him 
immensely  and  make  him  think  I've  penetrated 
to  the  very  root  and  fibre  of  a  matter,  when  in 
reality  I  have  only  the  most  superficial  knowl 
edge  of  it  ?  But  all  this  is  a  digression.  There 
was  something  I  wanted  to  say  to  you.  It  was 
about  Edward's  people.  You  know  about  the 
Gastons,  I  suppose  ?" 

Margaret  looked  slightly  puzzled.  "What 
do  you  mean  ?  "  she  said. 

"  Oh !  I  mean  about  their  name  and  history 
and  family  traditions.  It's  an  old  Puritan 
family  and  one  of  the  most  illustrious  in  New 
England.  I  read  somewhere  the  other  day,  that 
it  was  one  of  the  few  really  historical  families 
in  America,  and  I  have  no  desire  to  speak 
disrespectfully  of  them,  only  I  do  think  they 


Across  the  Chasm.  31 

make  an  unnecessary  amount  of  fuss  with  them 
selves.  Oh !  I  must  tell  you  about  my  first 
interview  with  Mr.  Alexander  M.  Gaston.  You 
know  who  he  is  !  " 

"  Really,  I  do  not,"  said  Margaret,  lifting  her 
eyebrows  with  a  deprecating  smile. 

"  Well,  you  are  green  !  but,  however,  it's  un 
necessary  to  enlighten  you  now,  except  to  say 
that  he  is  Edward's  uncle,  and  the  head  of  the 
great  house  of  Gaston.  He's  been  governor 
and  senator  and  foreign  minister  and  all  sorts 
of  things,  and  is  now  one  of  the  most  eminent 
men  in  New  England,  and  a  very  excellent  and 
accomplished  gentleman.  Well,  soon  after  I 
became  engaged  to  Edward  he  came  to  call 
upon  me,  and  I  must  say  his  whole  manner 
and  attitude  toward  me  were  rather  amazing. 
He  was  good  enough  to  say  that  he  welcomed 
me  into  the  family,  but  he  took  pains  to  in 
timate  that  I  was  about  to  be  the  recipient  of 
a  great  honor.  The  Gastons,  he  explained, 
had  been  for  centuries  leaders  of  public  thought 
and  opinion  in  their  own  State,  and  he  was 


32  Across  the  Chasm. 

obliging  enough  to  supply  me  with  the  dates 
of  the  landing  in  New  En^and  of  the  founders 
of  the  house,  and  to  dwell  upon  their  promi 
nence  among  the  early  Puritans.  I  listened  re 
spectfully  to  this  tirade,  and  by  the  time  it  came 
to  a  conclusion  I  had  my  little  speech  ready, 
and  when  he  took  my  hand  and  formally  wel 
comed  me  into  the  great  house  of  Gaston,  I 
replied  by  saying  that  I  knew  it  ought  to  be  a 
source  of  much  satisfaction  to  Edward  and 
myself  that  we  were,  in  our  small  way,  doing 
something  toward  healing  an  old  breach.  '  My 
ancestors  were  Cavaliers,'  I  said,  '  and  for  a 
Cavalier  to  marry  a  Puritan,  is,  even  at  this 
late  day,  helping  at  least  a  little  to  wipe  out 
the  memory  of  a  long-standing  feud.'  Now,  I 
flatter  myself  that  was  rather  neat." 

"  Oh,  Cousin  Eugenia,  how  perfectly  deli 
cious  ! "  exclaimed  Margaret,  with  an  outburst 
of  gay  laughter.  "  And  what  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  I  don't  exactly  remember,  my  dear,  but  it 
was  something  clever  and  adroit.  I  know  he 
retired  very  gracefully,  and  bore  me  no  malice. 


Across  the  Chasm.  33 

He  has  been  very  kind  to  me  always,  and  I  am 
said  to  be  his  favorite  of  all  his  nephews' 
wives.  He  is  really  a  dear  old  boy,  and  quite 
worthy  of  all  the  adulation  he  receives,  if  only 
they  wouldn't  put  it  on  the  ground  of  ancestry. 
Why,  the  founder  of  the  family  was  engaged  in 
some  sort  of  haberdashery  business  in  London ! 
It's  odd,  the  inconsistencies  one  meets  with ! 
But  I'm  inured  to  it  all  now,  and  have  learned 
•to  pose  as  a  Gaston,  like  the  rest  of  them! 
But  what  I  wanted  particularly  to  tell  you, 
and  what  it  concerns  you  to  know  is,  that  the 
Gastons — Edward  and  Louis  as  well  as  the 
others — are  greatly  prejudiced  against  South 
erners.  That  was  one  reason  why  I  asked  you 
here." 

"  It  may  make  matters  very  difficult  for  me," 
said  Margaret,  smiling. 

"  Not  in  the  least,  my  dear.  You  have  only 
to  be  yourself,  assuming  nothing.  I  feel  a  de 
lightful  security  in  letting  matters  take  their 
course.  You  will  know  perfectly  what  to  do, 
and  I  think  nothing  could  be  more  inspiring 


34  Across  tJie  Chasm. 

than  forcing  people  to  abandon  foolish  preju 
dices.  I  should  not  be  sorry  to  have  your 
chance  myself." 

"Surely,  the  same  opportunity  must  once 
have  been  yours." 

"  Oh  no,  they  won't  accord  me  that  for  a 
moment.  They  say,  with  truth,  that  merely  to 
have  been  born  in  the  South  does  not  make 
me  a  Southerner,  and  that,  having  spent  as 
much  time  in  the  North — and,  for  that  matter, 
the  East  and  West — as  in  the  South,  I  must  be 
set  down  as  a  cosmopolitan." 

"  I  am  almost  surprised  to  hear  you  say  they 
are  prejudiced,"  said  Margaret;  "I  should 
suppose  they  were  too  intelligent  for  that." 

"  Just  what  I've  always  said.  For  my  part, 
I  haven't  an  atom  of  prejudice  in  my  composi 
tion.  It  is  unworthy  of  enlightened  human 
beings,  and  so  I  tell  Edward  and  Louis." 

"  And  what  do  they  say  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that  they  are  not  prejudiced,  of  course. 
Denial  is  the  only  answer  such  people  can 
give.  But,  for  all  that,  they  are.  I  think 


Across  the  Chasm.  35 

Northern  people,  as  a  rule,  are  more  prejudiced 
than  Southerners." 

"  They  must  go  great  lengths,  if  they  are," 
said  Margaret ;  "  but  I  am  not  speaking  of  the 
more  enlightened  ones,  and  I  have  always  sup 
posed  that  the  existence  of  such  feelings  in 
Bassett  was  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  such  a 
small  place,  and  so  shut  off  from  contact  with 
the  world.  And  then,  too,  I  think  much  of  it  is 
to  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that  those  poor 
people  suffered  so  terribly  by  the  war." 

"Exactly.  I  often  tell  Edward  and  Louis 
that  they  are  so  much  less  justifiable,  because 
they  were  the  victors.  I'm  sure  I  feel  it  a  very 
easy  thing  to  be  magnanimous  toward  a  person 
I've  got  the  better  of.  But  I've  long  since 
ceased  to  apply  arguments  to  a  prejudice. 
Finding  they  did  not  answer,  I  thought  a  prac 
tical  illustration  might." 

A  moment's  silence  ensued, which  Margaret 
presently  broke  by  saying : 

"  Is  Mr.  Louis  Gaston  younger  or  older  than 
your  husband  ?  " 


36  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Younger,  of  course, — years  younger.  He's 
not  quite  thirty." 

"  Is  he  a  bachelor  or  a  widower  ?  " 

"  A  bachelor,  of  course.  Fancy  Louis  being 
a  widower !  He  stands  on  the  high  vantage- 
ground  of  lofty  impregnability.  He  is  not  in 
love,  and  he  would  fain  have  it  believed  he 
never  has  been,  or  at  least  only  in  a  careless  and 
off-hand  manner.  Not  that  he  avoids  women. 
On  the  contrary,  he  goes  into  society,  and 
enjoys  it  very  much  when  he  has  time,  which 
is  not  very  often." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  he  works  out  of  office 
hours  ?  " 

"  He  has  no  particular  office  hours,  and  he 
works  at  all  times,  early  and  late.  His  part 
ner  lives  in  New  York  and  he  is  there  a  great 
deal,  and  there  most  of  the  work  is  done ;  but 
he  is  always  drawing  plans  and  making  esti 
mates  here  at  home,  and  has  a  branch  office 
down  the  street.  Sometimes  he  works  in  his 
room,  and  sometimes  I  persuade  him  to  bring 
his  designs  down  into  the  library,  when  there 


Across  the  Chasm.  37 

seems  a  likelihood  of  our  having  a  quiet  even 
ing.  I  pretend  I'm  interested  in  them,  to 
please  him, — he  does  a  great  deal  to  please  me ; 
but  I'm  not  so,  really." 

"They  must  be  interesting  to  him,  at  any 
rate,  to  absorb  him  so  completely." 

"I  should  think  so!  Why,  I've  known 
Louis,  when  there  was  a  stress  of  work,  to  sit 
up  the  entire  night,  and  then  take  a  cold  bath 
and  come  down  to  breakfast  perfectly  fresh, 
and  be  ready  afterward  to  go  off  down  town 
and  be  at  it  again  until  night.  It's  enough  to 
make  one  yawn  to  think  of  it." 

Mrs.  Gaston,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word, 
was  settling  herself  more  comfortably  among 
the  pillows,  and  so  failed  to  observe  the 
look  of  eager  interest  her  words  had  called 
up  in  her  companion's  face.  She  had  just 
arranged  her  position  to  her  satisfaction,  and 
turned  to  continue  the  conversation,  when 
a  quick  step  was  heard  ascending  the  stair 
case. 

"  That's  Louis'   step,"   she  said  suddenly. 


38  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Close  the  door,  please ;  he  will  probably 
stop  to  speak  to  me." 

Margaret  obeyed  in  silence,  and  the  next 
moment  the  footsteps  stopped  at  the  door,  and 
a  very  pleasantly  modulated  voice  said : 

"Any  admittance  to  a  repentant  renegade, 
who  comes  to  make  his  peace  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Mrs.  Gaston,  quietly;  "I'm  not 
well — worse  than  usual,  indeed — used  up  with 
recent  exertions  and  in  no  mood  to  show  clem 
ency  to  offenders." 

"And  pray,  in  what  have  the  recent  exer 
tions  consisted  ?  "  the  voice  replied. 

"  Oh,  the  usual  round  of  wearing  domestic 
affairs,  with  a  new  item  added." 

"  Ahem !  "  exclaimed  the  voice  ;  "  it  would 
seem  the  young  Southerner  has  arrived.  Is  it 
so?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Gaston,  dryly,  "  she 
has." 

"  If  I  were  not  too  generous,  I  should  say, 
' I  told  you  so,'"  went  on  the  voice.  "I  have 
observed  that  Southern  importations  into 


Across  the  Chasm.  39 

Northern  climates  are  usually  attended  with 
certain  disadvantages." 

"Oh,  she's  a  very  nice  little  thing,"  said 
Mrs.  Gaston,  carelessly,  "I  think  something 
can  be  made  of  her." 

"  And  you  are  to  have  the  pleasure  of  con 
ducting  the  process  of  development,  and  Ed 
ward  and  I  that  of  looking  on  at  it — is  that 
it  ?  Where  is  she,  by-the-way  ?  Is  there  any 
danger  of  one's  meeting  her  on  the  stairs,  and 
having  to  account  for  one's  self  ?  A  civilized 
man,  encountered  unexpectedly,  might  un 
steady  the  nerves  of  the  Importation — might 
he  not?" 

"Possibly,"  said  Mrs.  Gaston;  "but  there's 
no  danger.  I've  given  her  a  room  far  away 
from  yours ;  so  you  will  still  have  the  privi 
lege  of  keeping  unearthly  hours  without  dis 
turbing  any  one." 

"  Thank  you ;  that's  very  considerate  ;  but 
I  must  be  off.  I  want  to  get  some  papers 
from  my  room,  and  then  I  must  go  to  keep  an 
appointment." 


40  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Of  course !  I  shouldn't  know  you  if  you 
hadn't  an  appointment.  It  wouldn't  be  you. 
Go  on ;  but  be  prompt  at  dinner." 

"You  may  count  upon  me.  And,  by-the- 
way,  you'll  let  me  know  whenever  you'd  like 
me  to  do  anything  for  your  young  friend's 
entertainment.  I  shall  not  be  likely  to  know 
the  tastes  and  predilections  of  the  Importa 
tion,  but  if  you  think  of  anything  I  can  do,  I 
am  at  your  service." 

"  Thank  you ;  but  I  let  her  look  after  her 
self  pretty  much.  I  fancy  there  will  be  no 
occasion  to  call  on  you." 

She  threw  an  amount  of  careless  weariness 
into  her  voice  as  she  said  this,  that  contrasted 
strongly  with  the  smile  of  unmixed  amusement 
with  which  she  turned  her  eyes  on  Margaret 
a  moment  afterward,  as  the  footsteps  outside 
were  heard  ascending  the  staircase. 

"Well,"  she  said  quietly,  "that's  Louis. 
What  do  you  think  of  him  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  possibly  say  ?  "  said  Margaret, 
divided  between  amusement  and  indignation. 


Across  the  Chasm.  41 

"  Surely  you  must  have  some  impression  of 
him,"  Mrs.  Gaston  urged. 

"  He  has  a  very  pleasant  voice." 

"You  couldn't  fail  to  notice  that.  I  was 
sure  you  would.  New  Englanders  are  some 
what  maligned  in  the  matter  of  voices,  I  think. 
That  dreadful  nasal  twang,  where  it  exists  at 
all  among  the  more  cultivated,  usually  belongs 
to  the  women  ;  though  I  must  say  Edward  has 
some  relations,  male  and  female,  who  set  my 
teeth  on  edge  whenever  they  come  near  me. 
But  a  really  beautiful  voice,  such  as  Louis',  is 
a  rarity  anywhere,  and  he  pronounces  his 
words  so  exquisitely !  Only  to  hear  him  say 
'  Matthew  Arnold '  rests  every  bone  in  one's 
body.  I  dare  say  you  would  have  expected  to 
hear  the  endless  succession  of  double  o's, 
always  attributed  to  Noo  Englanders !  " 

"  Oh,  no ! "  said  Margaret.  "  I  always  sup 
posed  cultivated  New  Englanders  quite  supe 
rior  to  that." 

"They  suppose  themselves  to  be  so,  also," 
said  Cousin  Eugenia ;  "  but  they  are  not  in  all 


42  Across  the  Chasm. 

cases,  by  any  means.  Edward  himself  had  a 
decided  tendency  in  that  direction  when  I 
married  him.  I  have  often  told  him  that  what 
first  suggested  to  me  to  accept  him  was  a  curi 
osity  to  see  whether  he  would  address  me  as 
'  Oogenia,'  when  he  grew  sentimental ;  and  I 
protest  he  did !  " 

Margaret  could  not  help  laughing  at  this, 
but  she  soon  became  grave  again,  and  said 
seriously : 

"  I  am  afraid  I  must  be  rather  a  bete  noir  to 
Mr.  Gaston." 

"  It  would  seem  so,"  said  Cousin  Eugenia. 

"I  hope  you  will  never  call  upon  him  to 
escort  me  anywhere,  or  do  anything  what 
ever  for  my  entertainment,"  Margaret  con 
tinued.  "  I  wish  you  would  promise  me  not 
to." 

"With  all  my  heart.  I  promise  it  as  sol 
emnly  and  bindingly  as  you  like." 

At  this  point  the  footsteps  were  heard  re 
turning  down  the  stairs,  and  again  they  paused 
outside. 


Across  the  Chasm.  43 

"  Can  you  come  and  take  this  ? "  the  pleas 
ant  voice  called  softly. 

"  Open  the  door  and  hand  it  through  a  little 
crack,"  Mrs.  Gaston  answered. 

The  knob  was  turned  from  without,  and  the 
door  pushed  open  just  wide  enough  to  admit 
the  entrance  of  a  neatly  done-up  parcel,  held 
in  a  large,  finely  formed  hand. 

Mrs.  Gaston  motioned  to  Margaret,  who  sat 
just  behind  the  door,  to  take  the  parcel,  and, 
not  daring  to  protest,  the  girl  moved  forward 
and  received  it. 

"  Shake  hands,  in  token  of  pardon  for  my 
slurs  at  the  Importation,"  the  voice  said,  in  a 
tone  of  quiet  amusement,  and  Margaret,  obey 
ing  another  peremptory  nod  and  glance  from 
Mrs.  Gaston,  transferred  the  parcel  to  her  left 
hand,  and  put  her  right  one  for  a  moment 
into  that  of  Louis  Gaston. 

"  I  perceive  that  the  toilet  is  indeed  in  its 
initial  stages,"  he  said,  "  not  a  ring  in  place  as 
yet !  I  hardly  seem  to  know  your  hand  in  its 
present  unfettered  condition.  I  even  think  it 


44  Across  tfo  Chasm. 

seems  slighter  and  colder  than  usual.  The 
Importation  must  have  taken  a  good  deal  out 
of  you  already." 

Not  choosing  to  have  her  hand  imprisoned 
longer  in  that  firm  and  friendly  clasp,  Mar 
garet  forcibly  withdrew  it  and  stepped  back, 
while  Mrs.  Gaston  said,  naturally  : 

"Cease  your  invidious  remarks  and  go  to 
your  appointment,  Louis.  Thank  you  for  the 
candy." 

The  door  was  immediately  closed  from  with 
out,  and  again  the  footsteps  retreated. 

"I  am  glad  you've  shaken  hands  with 
Louis,"  Mrs.  Gaston  said ;  "  it's  an  initiation 
to  a  friendship  between  you,  and,  in  the  end, 
you  and  Louis  must  be  friends,  though  there 
will  be  certain  inevitable  obstructions  at  first. 
He  is  really  the  best  and  dearest  creature  that 
ever  lived.  He  had  a  dreadful  illness  once 
from  studying  too  hard  for  his  college  exami 
nations,  and  Edward  and  I  nursed  him  through 
it,  and  you  don't  know  how  we  did  yearn  over 
that  boy !  He's  been  devoted  to  me  ever  since, 


Across  the  Chasm.  45 

one  proof  of  which  is,  that  he  always  brings 
me  this  candy  from  New  York.  Have  some. 
I'm  sure  he  ought  to  be  good  to  me,"  she  said, 
critically  peering  into  the  box  from  which 
Margaret  had  just  helped  herself,  and  select 
ing  a  plump  chocolate  drop ;  "  I  certainly  spoil 
him  sufficiently.  Still,  there  isn't  very  much 
one  can  do  for  a  man  like  that.  He  has  such 
frugal  habits,  it's  quite  baffling.  But  tell  me 
what  you  think  of  him,  after  a  second  en 
counter." 

"  Why,  nothing  more  than  I  thought  before, 
except  that  he  has  a  beautiful  hand." 

"  Margaret,  you  are  never  disappointing," 
said  Cousin  Eugenia,  warmly.  "I  felt  sure 
you  would  observe  that.  Go  now  and  write 
the  letters  that  you  spoke  of  while  I  dress, 
and  then  we'll  go  for  a  drive  before  lunch. 
And,  by-the-way,  while  I  think  of  it,  put  on 
your  long  black  dress  this  evening,  and  wear 
the  black  lace  at  the  throat  and  hands,  as  you 
had  it  the  evening  that  the  Kents  were  here. 
Don't  wear  any  color,  not  even  a  bit  of  gold. 


46  Across  the  Chasm. 

You  know  you  gave  me  leave  to  make  sugges 
tions  when  you  came,  and  it's  the  first  time 
I've  used  my  privilege,  though  I  think  I  am 
usually  rather  fond  of  suggesting.  Ring  for 
Lucy,  please,  and  then  hurry  through  your 
letters,  that  we  may  have  a  nice  long  drive." 


CHAPTER  IIL 

A  FEW  minutes  before  six  o'clock  that  even 
ing,  Margaret,  clad  in  a  long  black  gown 
that  swathed  her  up  to  her  milk-white  throat, 
came  slowly  down  the  broad  staircase  of  Gen 
eral  Gaston's  house  and  entered  the  empty 
drawing-room. 

Finding  herself  alone,  she  moved  across  the 
warm,  bright  room  to  the  table  which  stood 
under  the  chandelier,  and  taking  up  the  even 
ing  paper,  which  had  just  been  brought  in,  she 
began  rather  listlessly  to  run  her  eyes  along 
its  columns.  Presently  some  particular  item 
caught  her  attention,  and  so  absorbed  her  that 
she  was  unconscious  of  approaching  footsteps, 
until  she  caught  sight  of  a  gentleman  who  was 
just  entering  the  room  from  the  hall. 

Lowering  the  paper,  she  waited  for  him  to 
come  forward,  which  he  did  with  a  certain  per 
plexity  of  expression  and  a  slight  confusion  of 


48  Across  the  Chasm. 

manner.  Seeing  these  indications,  the  girl 
looked  into  his  face  with  frank  self-possession, 
and  said  gently : 

"  Miss  Trevennon.*' 

As  there  was  no  immediate  response,  she 
presently  added : 

"You  are  Mr.  Gaston?" 

The  sound  of  his  own  name  recalled  him, 
and  he  came  up  and  greeted  her  with  a  perfect 
ease  that  instantly  put  to  flight  the  moment's 
confusion ;  not  however,  before  a  watchful  eye, 
applied  to  a  crack  between  the  folding-doors  of 
the  library,  had  noted  the  fact  of  its  existence. 
These  doors  were  now  suddenly  thrown  apart, 
and  Mrs.  Gaston,  dressed  in  a  gay  and  ornate 
costume,  entered  the  room. 

"  I  beg  pardon  of  you  both  for  not  having 
been  on  hand  to  introduce  you,"  she  said,  with 
careless  composure,  as  she  took  her  brother- 
in-law's  hand  and  turned  her  cheek  to  receive 
his  light  kiss.  "  You  have  managed  to  dispense 
with  my  offices,  I'm  glad  to  see !  How  are  you, 
Louis  ? — though  it  is  the  merest  form  to  ask. 


Across  the  Chasm.  49 

He  is  one  of  the  hopelessly  healthy  people, 
Margaret,  who  are  the  most  exasperating  class 
on  earth  to  me.  Anything  in  the  Star,  dear  ? 
Let  me  see." 

She  took  the  paper  from  Miss  Trevennon's 
hand,  and  began  carelessly  looking  it  over. 
Suddenly  her  eye  lighted. 

"Here's  something  that  may  interest  yon, 
Louis,"  she  said,  handing  him  the  paper,  as 
she  pointed  with  her  heavily  jewelled  finger  to 
a  paragraph  headed  : 

"  Southern  Imports." 

At  the  same  instant  General  Gaston  entered 
the  room,  and  just  afterward  a  servant  an 
nounced  dinner. 

Mrs.  Gaston  had  mentioned  that  it  was  char 
acteristic  of  her  to  be  a  magnanimous  victor, 
and  it  may  have  been  that  fact  which  prompted 
her  great  urbanity  to  her  brother-in-law  on  the 
present  occasion.  She  ran  her  hand  through 
his  arm  affectionately,  as  she  walked  toward 
the  dining-room  beside  him,  and  thanked  him 
with  great  effusiveness  for  the  delicious  candy. 


50  Across  the  Chasm. 

To  all  which  he  answered  by  the  not  very 
relevant  response,  uttered  half  under  his 
breath : 

"  Never  mind,  madam !  I'll  settle  with  you 
for  this." 

Margaret,  of  course,  was  vis-a-vis  to  Louis 
Gaston  at  the  table,  and  while  both  joined  in 
the  general  conversation  which  ensued,  she 
perceived,  by  her  quick  glances,  that  he  was  a 
man  of  not  more  than  medium  height,  with  a 
straight  and  well-carried  figure  and  a  dark- 
skinned,  intelligent  face.  He  had  dark  eyes, 
which  were  at  once  keen  and  thoughtful,  and 
very  white  teeth  under  his  brown  mustache. 
Although  in  undoubted  possession  of  these 
good  points,  she  did  not  set  him  down  as  a 
handsome  man,  though  his  natural  advantages 
were  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  he  was  dressed 
with  the  most  scrupulous  neatness  in  every  de 
tail,  the  very  cut  of  his  short  dark  hair,  parted 
straight  in  the  middle,  and  brushed  smoothly 
down  on  top  of  his  noticeably  fine  head,  and 
the  well-kept  appearance  of  his  rather  long 


Across  fhe,  Chasm.  51 

finger-nails,  giving  evidence  of  the  fact  that 
his  toilet  was  performed  with  punctilious  care. 
It  was  something  very  new,  and  at  the  same 
time  very  pleasant  to  Margaret,  to  observe 
these  little  points  in  a  person  whose  first  and 
strongest  impression  upon  her  had  been  that 
of  genuine  manliness.  In  Bassett,  the  young 
men  allowed  their  hair  to  grow  rather  long  and 
uneven;  and  when,  for  some  great  occasion, 
they  would  pay  a  visit  to  the  barber,  the  shorn 
and  cropped  appearance  they  presented  after 
ward  was  so  transforming  as  to  make  it  neces 
sary  for  their  friends  to  look  twice  to  be  sure 
of  their  identity.  As  to  their  nails,  in  many 
instances  these  were  kept  in  check  by  means 
of  certain  implements  provided  by  nature  for 
purposes  of  ruthless  demolition,  and  when  this 
was  not  the  case  they  were  left  to  work  their 
own  destruction,  or  else  hurriedly  disposed  of 
in  the  intervals  of  vehement  stick-whittling. 
Not  a  man  of  them  but  would  have  set  it  down 
as  effeminate  to  manifest  the  scrupulous  care  in 
dress  which  was  observable  in  Louis  Gaston, 


62  Across  the  Chasm. 

and  it  was  upon  this  very  point  that  Margaret 
was  reflecting  when  Gaston's  voice  recalled  her. 

"I'm  uncommonly  glad  to  get  home,  Eu 
genia,"  he  said,  tasting  his  wine,  as  the  servant 
was  removing  his  soup-plate.  "  I  think  Ames 
is  beginning  to  find  out  that  this  Washington 
office  is  a  mere  subterfuge  of  mine,  and  that 
the  real  obstacle  to  my  settling  down  in  New 
York  is  my  fondness  for  the  domestic  circle.  I 
really  wish  Edward  could  manage  to  get  sent 
to  Governor's  Island.  I  must  confess  I  should 
prefer  New  Tork  as  a  residence,  if  I  could  be 
accompanied  by  my  household  gods  and  my 
tribe.  Shouldn't  you,  Miss  Trevennon  ?  " 

Margaret  had  been  sitting  quite  silent  for 
some  time,  and  Gaston,  observing  this,  pur 
posely  drew  her  into  the  conversation,  a  thing 
his  sister-in-law  would  never  have  done,  for  the 
reason  that  she  had  observed  that  her  young 
cousin  possessed  the  not  very  common  charm 
of  listening  and  looking  on  with  a  perfect 
grace. 

"I  have  never  been  to  New  York,"  said  Mar- 


Across  the  Chasm.  53 

garet,  in  answer  to  this  direct  appeal,  "  and  I 
have  only  a  limited  idea  of  its  advantages  as  a 
place  of  residence,  though  I  don't  doubt  they 
are  very  great." 

"They  are,  indeed,"  said  Louis,  observing 
her  with  a  furtive  scrutiny  across  the  graceful 
mass  of  bloom  and  leafage  in  the  epergne. 
"You  will  like  it  immensely." 

"  If  I  ever  make  its  acquaintance,"  said  Mar 
garet,  smiling.  "Washington  seemed  to  me 
the  border-land  of  the  Antipodes  before  I  came 
here,  and  I  have  never  thought  of  going  be 
yond  it." 

"You  have  lived,  then,  altogether  in  the 
South  ?  "  said  Gaston,  with  a  tinge  of  incredu 
lity  in  his  voice,  so  faint  as  to  escape  Margaret, 
but  perfectly  evident  to  Mrs.  Gaston,  for  the 
reason,  perhaps,  that  she  was  listening  for 
it. 

"Yes,  altogether,"  Margaret  answered. 

"  My  poor  little  cousin  is  in  a  most  benight 
ed  condition,"  Mrs.  Gaston  said.  "  She  has 
not  only  never  been  to  New  York,  but — only 


64  Across  the  Chasm. 

think  ! — until  to-day  she  never  heard  of  Ames 
&Gaston!" 

"Impossible!  Unbelievable!"  said  Louis. 
"Was  it  for  this  that  they  designed  'All  Saints,' 
and  have  even  been  mentioned  in  connection 
with  the  new  skating-rink  ?  Eugenia,  you  are 
a  true  friend.  It  will  not  be  necessary  for  me 
to  carry  a  slave  about  with  me  to  remind  me 
that  I  am  a  man,  like  the  great  monarch  we 
read  of  in  history ;  a  sister-in-law  is  a  capital 
substitute  and  performs  her  office  quite  as 
faithfully." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  well  for  me,"  said  Margaret, 
smiling  demurely,  "  that  I  began  my  list  of  ig 
norances  with  such  an  imposing  one  ;  it  will 
make  those  that  follow  seem  trivial  by  com 
parison." 

"There  is  wisdom  in  what  you  say,  Miss 
Trevennon,"  said  Louis ;  "  and  if  you  wish  to 
impress  yourself  with  the  magnitude  of  the 
present  one,  get  Eugenia  to  take  you  to  see 
'All  Saints/" 

The  conversation  now  turned  into  other  chan- 


Across  the  Chasm.  55 

nels,  and  it  was  not  until  Margaret  was  saying 
good-night  to  Mrs.  Gaston,  in  the  latter's  dress 
ing-room,  that  she  reverted  to  this  subject. 

"  I  can  well  believe  that  Mr.  Gaston  is  a 
clever  architect,"  she  said,  "  his  eye  is  so  keen 
and  steady.  I  should  like  to  see  some  of  his 
work.  This  '  All  Saints '  Church  is  very  beau 
tiful,  I  suppose.  Shall  we  really  go  to  see  it 
some  day  ?  " 

Mrs.  Gaston  broke  into  her  little  light  laugh. 

"  That's  a  piece  of  nonsense  of  Louis',  my 
dear,"  she  said.  "It's  a  cheap  little  mission 
chapel,  built  by  a  very  poor  congregation  in  a 
wretched  part  of  the  town.  The  Travers  girls 
got  Louis  interested  in  it,  and  he  made  them 
the  designs  and  estimates  and  superintends  its 
erection.  Of  course  he  charged  them  nothing ; 
in  fact,  I  believe  he  subscribed  a  good  deal 
toward  it  himself.  He  is  amused  at  the  idea 
of  their  calling  it  '  All  Saints,'  and  making  it 
such  a  comprehensive  memorial.  He  and  his 
partner  have  designed  some  really  beautiful 
buildings  here,  however,  which  I  will  show 


56  Across  the  Chasm. 

you.  Louis  is  very  clever,  don't  you  think 
so?" 

"  I  hardly  feel  able  to  judge,  yet,"  said  Mar 
garet,  "  but  if  you  say  so,  I  will  believe  it,  for 
since  I've  been  with  you,  Cousin  Eugenia,  I 
begin  to  think  I  never  knew  any  one  before 
who  was  clever." 

"  Why  are  you  always  forcing  one  to  remind 
you  of  your  ignqrance,  child  ?  "  retorted  Mrs. 
Gaston,  laughing  lightly.  "  This  is  the  most 
convincing  proof  we  have  had  of  it  yet." 

As  Margaret  went  up  to  say  good-night,  she 
felt  a  strong  impulse  to  express  some  of  the 
ever-ready  affection  which  her  cousin's  kind 
ness  had  awakened  in  her  heart ;  but  Cousin 
Eugenia  was  a  woman  to  whom  it  was  very 
hard  to  be  affectionate,  and  she  thwarted  her 
young  cousin's  intention  now  by  turning  her 
cheek  so  coolly  that  the  ardent  words  died  on 
the  girl's  lips.  Mrs.  Gaston  was  naturally  un 
sympathetic,  and  it  almost  seemed  as  if  she 
cultivated  the  quality.  However  that  might 
be,  it  was  certain  that,  at  the  end  of  a  month 


Across  the  Chasm.  57 

spent  in  daily  companionship  with  this  bright 
and  agreeable  cousin,  Margaret  was  obliged  to 
admit  to  herself  that  she  had  not  taken  one  step 
toward  the  intimate  friendship  she  would  have 
liked  to  establish  between  them.  Her  cousin 
was  kindness  itself,  and  always  companionable 
and  agreeable,  but  she  was  scarcely  ever  really 
serious,  although  she  had  at  hand  a  reserve  of 
decorous  gravity  which  she  could  always  draw 
upon  when  occasion  required. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

f  f  TjlUGENIA,"  said  Louis  Gaston,  tapping 
-Ld  at  his  sister-in-law's  door  one  morning, 
"  I  stopped  to  say  that  I  will  get  tickets  for 
Miss  Trevennon  and  yourself  for  the  opera 
Monday  evening,  if  you  say  so." 

"  /  don't  say  so,  my  dear  Louis,  I  assure 
you,"  returned  Mrs.  Gaston  opening  her  door 
and  appearing  before  him  in  a  tasteful  morning 
toilet.  "  If  you  take  Margaret  and  me  to  the 
opera,  it  must  be  for  your  own  pleasure ;  she 
is  not  the  kind  of  guest  to  hang  heavily  on  her 
hostess'  hands.  I've  never  been  at  a  loss  for 
her  entertainment  for  a  moment  since  she  has 
been  here,  and  what  is  more,  scarcely  ever  for 
my  own.  I  find  myself  quite  equal  to  the  task 
of  providing  for  her  amusement,  and  so  it  has 
not  been  difficult  for  me  to  keep  my  promise  of 
not  calling  upon  you  in  her  behalf." 

"You  certainly  never  made  me  any  such 


Across  the  Chasm.  59 

promise  as  that,  and  it  would  have  been  very 
absurd  if  you  had." 

"  Ah,  perhaps  then  it  was  to  Margaret  that 
I  made  it !  The  main  point  is  that  I've  kept 
it." 

"  Of  course,  Eugenia,  it  goes  without  saying, 
that  when  you  have  a  young  guest  in  the  house 
my  services  are  at  your  disposal." 

"Oh,  certainly.  Only,  in  this  instance,  I 
prefer  to  let  all  suggestions  come  from  yourself. 
I  know  you  only  put  up  with  my  Southern  rel 
atives  because  of  your  regard  for  me,  and, 
strong  as  is  my  faith  in  that  sentiment,  I  don't 
want  to  test  it  too  severely  ;  but  I  won't  de 
tain  you.  Mrs.  Gaston  and  Miss  Trevennon 
accept  with  pleasure  Mr.  Gaston's  kind  in 
vitation  for  Monday  evening.  The  opera  is 
Favorita — isn't  it  ?  Margaret  has  never  heard 
it,  I  know ;  it  will  be  very  nice  to  initiate  her. 
Will  you  be  at  home  to  dinner  to-day  ?  " 

"Yes,  of  course,"  replied  the  young  man, 
looking  back  over  his  shoulder  as  he  walked 
away. 


60  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Oh,  of  course  !  "  soliloquized  his  sister-in- 
law,  as  she  turned  back  into  her  apartment. 
"  Quite  as  if  you  were  never  known  to  do  other 
wise  !  Oh,  the  men !  How  facile  they  are ! 
Louis,  as  well  as  the  rest!  I  had  expected 
something  to  come  of  this  case  of  propinquity, 
but  I  did  not  expect  it  to  come  so  quickly.  He 
hasn't  dined  out  more  than  twice  since  she's 
been  here,  and  then  with  visible  reluctance, 
and  he  has  only  been  once  to  New  York,  and  I 
suspect  the  designs  are  suffering.  And  Mar 
garet  too  !  It's  quite  the  same  with  her — say 
ing  to  me  last  night  that  his  manners  are  so 
fine  that  she  is  constrained  to  admit  that,  tak 
ing  Louis  as  an  exponent  of  the  Northern  sys 
tem,  it  must  be  better  than  the  one  she  had 
always  supposed  to  be  the  best!  It  works 
rapidly  both  ways,  but  there  must  be  a  hitch 
before  long,  for  in  reality  they  are  as  far  asun 
der  as  the  poles.  Every  tradition  and  every 
prejudice  of  each  is  diametrically  opposed  to 
the  other.  How  witt  it  end,  I  wonder  ?  " 

It  happened  that  Mrs.  Gaston  did  an  unusual 


Across  the  Chasm.  61 

amount  of  shopping  and  visiting  that  day,  and 
was  so  fatigued  in  consequence  that  she  had 
dinner  served  to  her  in  her  own  apartment,  and 
Margaret  dined  alone  with  the  two  gentlemen. 
Afterward  she  went  up  and  spent  an  hour 
with  the  vivacious  invalid,  whom  she  found  lying 
on  the  bed,  surrounded  by  an  array  of  paper 
novels  by  miscellaneous  authors,  the  titles  of 
which  were  of  such  a  flashy  and  trashy  order 
that  Margaret  felt  sure  she  would  never  have 
cared  to  turn  the  first  page  of  any  of  them,  and 
wondered  much  that  her  intelligent  and  culti 
vated  cousin  could  find  the  least  interest  in 
their  contents.  Mrs.  Gaston  was  in  the  habit 
of  ridiculing  these  novels  herself,  but  would 
say,  with  a  laugh,  that  they  were  "  the  greatest 
rest  to  her,"  and  Margaret  was  continually  ex 
pecting  to  find  her  immersed  in  some  abstruse 
work,  which  would  sufficiently  tax  her  mental 
powers  to  account  for  the  liberal  allowance  of 
relaxation  which  was  to  counteract  it ;  but,  so 
far,  she  had  been  disappointed. 
Mrs.  Gaston  laid  her  novel  by  on  Margaret's 


62  Across  the  Chasm. 

entrance,  and  gave  her  young  cousin  a  cordial 
welcome.  The  two  sat  talking  busily  until  Gen 
eral  Gaston  came  up  to  his  dressing-room  to  pre 
pare  for  a  lecture  to  which  he  was  going,  and  to 
which  he  offered  to  take  Margaret.  His  wife 
put  her  veto  on  that  plan,  however,  pronouncing 
it  a  stupid  affair,  and  saying  that  Margaret 
would  be  better  entertained  at  home. 

"  But  you  are  not  to  stay  up  here  with  me, 
my  dear,"  she  said.  "  Go  down  stairs.  Some 
one  will  be  coming  in  by-and-by,  I  dare  say, 
and  you  must  not  think  of  coming  back  to 
entertain  me.  I  am  bent  on  seeing  how  this 
absurd  story  ends ;  it's  the  most  deliciously 
preposterous  thing  I  ever  read, — so  bad,  that 
it's  good !  Say  good-night  now,  dear.  I  know 
you  are  never  dull ;  so  I  dismiss  you  to  your 
own  devices.  I  don't  know  where  Louis  is, 
but  he  may  come  and  join  you  after  a  while. 
There's  never  much  counting  on  him,  however." 

When  Margaret  descended  to  the  drawing- 
room,  the  library  doors  were  thrown  apart,  and 
through  them  she  could  see  Louis  Gaston  bend- 


Across  the  Chasm.  63 

ing  over  some  large  sheets  of  heavy  paper,  on 
which  he  was  drawing  lines  by  careful  measure 
ment.  He  looked  up  at  the  sound  of  her  foot 
steps,  and,  as  she  took  a  magazine  from  the 
table,  and  seated  herself  in  a  large  chair  before 
the  fire,  he  came  in  with  his  pencil  in  his  hand, 
and  leaning  his  back  against  the  end  of  the 
mantel,  said : 

"Eugenia  tells  me  you  have  never  seen 
Favorita,  and  I  so  rejoiced  to  put  an  end  to 
that  state  of  affairs !  You  don't  know  what  an 
absolute  refreshment  it  has  been  to  me  to 
observe  your  enjoyment  of  the  music  you  have 
heard  since  you  have  been  here.  I  don't  think 
I  have  ever  received  from  any  one  such  an  im 
pression  of  a  true  appreciation  of  music.  It 
seems  rather  odd,  as  you  neither  play  nor  sing 
yourself." 

"It  pleases  me  to  think  that  my  own  in 
capacity  does  not  interfere  in  the  least  with 
my  enjoyment  of  music,"  Margaret  said. 
"  When  I  hear  beautiful  music  my  pleasure  in 
it  is  not  impaired  by  any  feeling  of  regret  that 


64  Across  the  Chasm. 

I  cannot  produce  such  a  thing  myself.  It  no 
more  occurs  to  me  to  long  for  that,  than  to 
long  to  create  a  beautiful  sunset  when  I  see 
one." 

"  The  fact  that  one  is  attainable,  while  the 
other  is  not,  would  make  a  difference,  I  think." 
He  paused  a  moment,  and  then  went  on  with 
his  pleasant  smile  :  "  Do  you  know  this  dis 
covery  of  mine — that  of  your  fastidious  ap 
preciation  of  music — has  been  the  thing  that 
deterred  me  from  inflicting  any  of  my  own  upon 
you  ?  I  was  so  set  against  this  that  I  made 
Eugenia  promise  not  to  acquaint  you  with  the 
fact  that  I  can  sing  a  little." 

"  How  could  you  do  that  ?  "  exclaimed  Mar 
garet,  reproachfully,  with  a  keen  conception  of 
what  lovely  effects  in  singing  might  be  pro 
duced  by  this  richly  modulated  voice,  whose 
spoken  utterances  she  so  admired.  "  I  might 
have  had  such  delight  in  hearing  you  sing  !  I 
am  accustomed  to  having  music  so  constantly 
at  home.  We  have  a  friend  there,  a  young 
man,  who  is  almost  like  one  of  our  own  house- 


Across  the  Chasm.  65 

hold,  who  sings  beautifully.  He  has  a  lovely 
voice,  so  pure  and  strong,  but  entirely  unculti 
vated.  In  some  things  it  shows  this  almost 
painfully,  but  there  are  others  that  he  renders 
exquisitely.  Sacred  music  he  sings  best." 

"Ah,  that  I  have  never  tried,  at  least  not 
much.  Your  friend's  voice  is  the  opposite  of 
mine.  I  had  really  very  little  to  begin  with, 
and  an  immense  deal  of  practice  and  training 
has  not  enabled  me  to  do  much  more  than  direct 
properly  the  small  amount  of  power  I  possess, 
and  disguise  its  insufficiency  more  or  less.  It 
isn't  very  much,  after  all,  and  yet  how  I  have 
pegged  away  at  my  scales  and  exercises !  I  had 
a  most  exacting  master  when  I  was  in  Ger 
many,  and  as  I  was  studying  my  profession  at 
the  same  time,  I  wore  myself  almost  to  a  skel 
eton.  I  studied  very  hard  at  the  School  of 
Architecture,  but  I  never  practised  less  than 
three  hours  a  day — often  four." 

He  was  talking  on,  very  lightly,  but  he 
stopped  short,  arrested  by  an  expression  on 
the  face  of  his  companion  that  he  was  at  a  loss 


66  Across  the  Chasm. 

to  account  for.  There  was  a  look  of  enthusi 
astic  ardor  in  her  eyes  that  amounted  to  posi 
tive  emotion. 

"  How  can  you  speak  so  lightly  of  a  thing 
that  was  really  so  noble  ?  "  she  said,  in  a  voice 
full  of  feeling. 

Louis'  face  broke  into  a  smile  of  sheerest 
astonishment,  but  at  the  same  time  he  felt 
himself  strangely  stirred  by  the  feeling  that  he 
had  roused  this  warm  admiration  in  the  breast 
of  this  fair  young  lady. 

"My  dear  Miss  Trevennon,"  he  said  ear 
nestly,  "you  amaze  me  by  applying  such  a 
word  to  my  conduct.  I  went  abroad  to  study 
architecture  and  music,  and  there  was  every 
reason  why  I  should  make  the  most  of  the 
three  years  I  had  allotted  to  these  purposes. 
That  I  did  my  part  with  some  degree  of  thor 
oughness  was  only  what  I  felt  bound  to  do,  in 
the  simplest  justice  to  myself  and  others. 
When  I  think  of  the  fellows  who  accomplished 
twice  what  I  did,  contending  against  such  ob 
stacles  as  poverty,  or  ill-health,  or  the  absence 


Across  the  Chasm.  67 

of  proper  facilities,  I  find  the  word  noble,  as 
applied  to  myself,  almost  humiliating.  Do 
you  know,  your  views  on  some  points  are  ex 
tremely  puzzling  to  me  ?  " 

"  I  am  at  sea,"  said  Margaret  gently,  with  a 
hesitating  little  smile.  "Things  that  I  see 
about  me  seem  strange  and  unfamiliar,  and  I 
often  feel  that  I  have  lost  my  bearings.  But 
your  resolute  application  to  studies  that  must 
often  have  been  wearying  and  laborious,  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  relaxations  most  young  men 
find  necessary,  rouses  my  profound  admiration. 
I  have  never  known  a  man  who  was  capable  of 
a  thing  like  that." 

"  Will  you  do  me  the  kindness  to  tell  me  if  I 
am  blushing  ?  "  said  Louis.  "  I  veritably  be 
lieve  so,  and  as  it  is  a  thing  I  have  never  been 
known  to  do  before,  I  should  like  to  have  the 
occurrence  certified  to.  I  venture  to  hope, 
however,  that  the  fact  is  accounted  for  by  my 
being  physically  thick  skinned,  and  not  morally 
so,  for  I  have  known  myself  to  be  blushing 
when  the  fact  would  not  have  been  suspected 


68  Across  the  Chasm. 

by  outsiders.  Just  now,  however,  I  fancy  it 
must  have  been  evident  to  the  most  casual 
observer." 

He  saw  that  the  levity  of  his  words  and 
tones  were,  for  some  reason,  discordant  to  Miss 
Trevennon,  and  so  he  spoke  in  a  graver  voice, 
as  he  said : 

"  I  feel  musical  to-night,  and  almost  as  if  I 
could  overcome  the  hesitation  I  have  spoken 
of  sufficiently  to  sing  you  some  of  the  music 
of  Favorita  in  anticipation  of  Monday  night." 

"  Oh,  why  don't  you  ?  It  would  be  so  de 
lightful  ! "  exclaimed  Margaret,  fired  at  the 
suggestion. 

"I  never  feel  that  I  can  sing  well  when  I 
have  to  play  my  own  accompaniments,"  he 
said.  "  But  for  that " 

"  Oh,  if  you  have  the  music,  do  let  me  play 
for  you ! " 

"  Could  you  do  it  ?  I  thought  you  did  not 
play.  Have  you  also  been  practising  conceal 
ment?" 

"  My  music  amounts  to  nothing,  but  I  could 


Across  the  Chasm.  69 

easily  manage  an  accompaniment.  Have  you 
the  notes  ?  " 

"Yes,  just  at  hand.  What  a  delightful  idea ! 
I  never  thought  of  this.  You  shouldn't  have 
cheated  me  out  of  such  a  pleasure  all  this 
time.  Let  me  open  the  piano.  Come  !  " 

He  tossed  his  pencil  down  upon  the  table, 
and  moved  across  the  room  as  he  spoke.  See 
ing  his  action,  Margaret  checked  herself  as 
she  was  following,  and  said  suddenly : 

"  I  forgot  your  work.  I  really  cannot  inter 
fere  with  that." 

"  Never  mind  the  work.  The  work  may  go. 
I'll  make  it  up  somehow.  Could  you  manage 
this,  do  you  think  ?  " 

By  way  of  answer,  Margaret  seated  herself 
and  ran  over  the  prelude  with  tolerable  ease, 
and  at  the  proper  time  nodded  to  him  to  begin. 

There  was  no  interruption  until  the  really 
impressive  voice  had  died  away  in  the  last 
note,  and  then  Margaret  dropped  her  hands  on 
her  lap  and  said,  with  a  long-drawn  breath : 

"  I  can  see  no  lack.     It  is  most  beautiful.     I 


70  Across  the  Chasm. 

think  you  must  have  greatly  under-estimated 
your  voice.  It  has  a  quality  that  touches  me 
deeply." 

"  What  there  is  of  it  does  pretty  well,"  Louis 
answered,  smiling,  well  pleased  at  her  earnest 
commendation.  "Ames  says  I'm  the  best 
singer  to  have  no  voice  that  he  ever  heard, 
which  is  the  greatest  amount  of  praise  I  can 
lay  claim  to." 

"  I  feel  more  than  ever,  now,  the  lack  of  cul 
tivation  in  Mr.  Somers'  voice,"  said  Margaret. 
"  It  is  really  a  grand  organ,  but  he  scarcely 
knows  how  to  sing  anything  with  entire  cor 
rectness,  unless  it  is  something  in  which  he  has 
been  carefully  drilled  by  some  one  who  knows  a 
little  more  than  himself.  I  wish  he  could  hear 
you  sing." 

"  I  wish  I  could  hear  him,"  said  Louis.  "  If 
he  has  the  voice,  the  cultivation  can  be  ac 
quired  readily  enough ;  but  with  me  the  utmost 
has  been  done.  Much  of  this  music  is  rather 
beyond  me.  Let  us  try  a  ballad." 

He  was  bending  over  the  rack,  in  search  of 


Across  the  Chasm.  71 

some  particular  piece,  when  the  door-bell 
sounded.  They  both  heard  it,  and  their  eyes 
met  with  a  look  of  disappointment. 

"It's  too  bad,"  said  Margaret,  regretfully. 
"I  don't  want  to  be  interrupted." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Louis,  promptly,  arrest 
ing  the  servant  on  his  way  to  the  door  by  a 
quick  motion  of  the  hand,  "  suppose  you  allow 
me  to  have  the  ladies  excused." 

Margaret  assented  readily,  and  the  order 
was  accordingly  given. 

A  moment  later  the  servant  came  into  the 
room,  presenting  two  cards  on  a  tray.  Gaston 
glanced  at  them,  and  Margaret  saw  his  face 
change  slightly. 

"  I  am  afraid  Eugenia  will  make  me  suffer 
for  this,"  he  said.  "  One  of  these  visitors  was 
young  Leary." 

"  Who  is  he  ?  "  asked  Margaret,  simply. 

"You  surely  know  who  the  Learys  are?" 
Gaston  replied,  in  a  tone  of  reproachful  incre 
dulity  that  was  almost  severe.  "They  come 
of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  families  at  the 


72  Across  the  Chasm. 

North,  and  are  here  for  the  winter.  The  father 
of  this  young  man  has  held  various  important 
diplomatic  and  political  offices.  They  visit  very 
little,  and  Eugenia  will  be  annoyed  that  young 
Leary  has  not  been  admitted.  I  don't  think 
he  has  ever  called  here  before,  except  to 
acknowledge  an  invitation.  He  sat  near  us  at 
the  theatre  the  other  night,  and  I  saw  that  he 
observed  you  ;  so  this  visit  is  probably  a  trib 
ute  to  you." 

"  I  don't  know  that  you  have  said  anything 
about  him  to  make  me  regret  him  especially," 
said  Margaret,  "  only  that  he's  Mr.  Leary ;  and 
what's  in  a  name  ?  Is  there  any  reason  why 
one  should  particularly  desire  him  as  an  ac 
quaintance  ?  " 

Mr.  Gaston  looked  slightly  bewildered. 
Then  he  began  to  speak,  and  checked  himself 
suddenly.  Then,  turning  back  to  the  piano, 
and  beginning  to  look  over  the  music,  he  said, 
somewhat  hurriedly : 

"  It  is  only  that  they  are  people  it's  well  to 
be  civil  to." 


Across  the  Chasm.  73 

There  was  something  in  the  tone  Louis  took, 
in  regard  to  this  matter,  that  puzzled  Margaret 
—2o  tone  that  had  also  puzzled  her  in  the  other 
members  of  the  Gaston  family.  There  seemed 
to  be  a  certain  anxiety  with  all  of  them  to 
know  the  right  people,  and  be  seen  at  the 
proper  houses,  and  have  only  the  best  people 
at  their  own.  Margaret  Trevennon,  for  her 
part,  had  never  had  a  qualm  of  this  sort  in  her 
life,  and  supposed,  moreover,  that  only  vulgar 
or  uncertainly  posed  people  could  possibly  be 
subject  to  them.  And  yet  here  were  people 
who  were  not  only  not  vulgar  but  more  elegant 
and  charming  than  any  men  and  women  she 
had  ever  known,  who  were  entitled  to,  and 
actually  held,  an  unimpeachable  social  posi 
tion,  and  who  yet  seemed  to  find  it  necessary 
to  struggle  hard  to  maintain  it,  and  were  con 
tinually  possessed  by  a  positive  anxiety  to 
appear  to  be  distinguished !  Really,  it  seemed 
their  first  and  principal  concern.  This  was 
the  first  time  she  had  seen  a  decided  indication 
of  the  feeling  in  Louis  Gaston,  and  somehow 


74  Across  the  Chasm. 

it  hurt  her  more  in  him  than  in  the  others. 
Unconsciously  she  gave  a  little  sigh. 

"  Dear  me !  "  she  thought  to  herself,  "  what 
an  unpleasant  idea !  Why  need  people  assume 
anything,  when  they  actually  have  it  all  ?  It 
never  occurred  to  me  that  really  nice  people 
could  give  themselves  any  concern  of  this  sort." 

And  then,  as  she  turned  and  suddenly  met 
Louis'  eyes,  her  face  broke  into  a  smile  of  sud 
den  amusement. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  said  the  young  man,  eagerly. 

"I  was  laughing  at  some  lines  from  the 
'  Bab  Ballads '  that  happened  to  come  into  my 
head  just  then,"  she  said. 

"  What  were  they  ?  I  dote  upon  the  Babs. 
Do  let's  have  them." 

"  Lord  Lardy  would  smile  and  observe, 
'  How  strange  are  the  customs  of  France  I ' " 

quoted  Margaret.  "I  dare  say  they  don't 
seem  very  relevant.  But  come,  let's  go  on 
with  the  music,"  she  added,  hurriedly.  "We 
must  not  prolong  the  interruption." 


Across  the  Chasm.  75 

Mr.  Gaston  had  smiled  at  her  quotation  and 
then  become  suddenly  grave.  As  he  selected 
a  sheet  of  music  and  put  it  on  the  rack  before 
her,  he  said  seriously  : 

"  I  sometimes  see  that  there  are  little  points 
that  we  look  at  very  differently.  Perhaps  we 
may  come  to  understand  each  other  by-and-by. 
I  hope  so,  sincerely.  And  now,  are  you  famil 
iar  with  this,  and  do  you  care  for  it  ?  " 

The  selection  happened  to  be  a  favorite  of 
Margaret's,  and  she  entered  delightedly  into 
its  rendition,  and  very  soon  the  lovely  strains 
of  the  sweet,  sympathetic  voice  had  banished 
all  discordant  thoughts  and  memories. 

"  There,  Miss  Trevennon,"  he  said,  as  the 
song  came  to  an  end,  "  you've  heard  me  do  my 
little  best  now.  Tour  accompaniments  suit 
me  perfectly.  I  am  sure  I  never  sang  better. 
I  hope  we  may  have  many  another  pleasant 
evening,  such  as  this,  together." 

Margaret  had  risen  from  the  piano  and  was 
standing  before  the  fire,  and  she  watched  him 
with  mingled  interest  and  surprise,  as  he 


76  Across  the  Chasm. 

neatly  replaced  the  music  in  the  rack,  lowered 
the  instrument,  and  carefully  arranged  the 
cover,  with  a  habit  of  orderliness  of  which  she 
had  also  seen  indications  in  General  Gaston. 
It  was  to  her  almost  a  new  trait,  in  men. 

"  Cousin  Eugenia  insists  upon  early  hours, 
now  that  I  am  not  going  out/'  said  Margaret, 
"so,  as  it  is  half-past  ten,  I  will  say  good 
night.  I  feel  rather  guilty,"  she  added,  paus 
ing  in  the  door-way,  "for  interrupting  your 
work  to-night.  I  dare  say  you  wanted  to  fin 
ish  it." 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,  it  isn't  a  matter  of  choice," 
he  murmured;  "Ames  must  have  those  esti 
mates  to-morrow,  and  they  are  bound  to  go  on 
the  morning  train." 

"  And  when  are  they  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  Now,  at  once.  I  can  easily  finish  them  off 
to-night,"  he  replied  carelessly.  "  Pray  don't 
look  as  if  you  had  committed  a  mortal  sin,  Miss 
Trevennon,"  he  added,  smiling.  "  I  assure  you 
I  don't  weigh  this  little  nocturnal  application 
as  dust  in  the  balance  against  the  pleasure 


Across  the  Chasm.  77 

I've  had  in  this  musical  evening  with  you.  I 
hope  it  is  not  on  my  account  you  are  hurrying 
of£  I  assure  you  there  is  abundance  of  time 
for  my  purposes.  I  shall  take  these  papers  to 
my  room  and  finish  them." 

But  Margaret,  bent  upon  not  hindering  him 
further,  retired  at  once. 

The  next  morning  Mrs.  Gaston  asked  her 
brother-in-law  at  breakfast,  whether  he  had 
not  passed  her  room  about  sunrise,  and,  with 
some  confusion,  he  was  compelled  to  own  that 
he  had. 

"What  provoking  ears  you  have,  Eugenia !  " 
he  said ;  "  I  flattered  myself  that  a  mouse  could 
not  have  been  more  noiseless.  I  am  sorry  to 
have  disturbed  you,  especially  as  you  had  not 
been  feeling  well." 

"  Oh,  I  was  awake,  at  any  rate.  But  what 
was  the  occasion  of  your  early  expedition  ?  " 
she  asked,  without  showing  any  especial  sur 
prise. 

"  I  had  to  post  some  papers  to  Ames,"  he 
said  ;  "  and  though  I  had  told  Thomas  I  would 


78  Across  the  Chasm. 

ring  for  him  to  take  them,  the  morning  was  so 
bright  and  clear  that  I  fancied  I  should  like 
the  walk.  And  really  it  was  most  refreshing." 

"  I  can  fancy  you  needed  refreshment,"  Mrs. 
Gaston  said,  "if,  as  I  don't  doubt,  you  had 
been  at  work  all  night." 

Mr.  Gaston  made  no  response.  He  was 
helping  himself  from  a  dish  offered  by  a  ser 
vant  at  the  moment,  and  seemed  disposed  to 
let  the  matter  drop;  but  Margaret,  urged  by  an 
irresistible  impulse,  arrested  his  eye  and  said 
quickly : 

"Had  you?" 

"  Had  I  what,  Miss  Trevennon?  " 

"  Had  you  been  at  work  all  night  ?  " 

"  Pretty  much,  I  believe ;  but  why  do  you 
look  so  tragic?  I  am  not  in  delicate  health, 
that  the  lack  of  a  little  sleep  should  entail 
serious  consequences." 

"  *  Pleasure  the  way  you  like  it ' !  "  said  Mrs. 
Gaston.  "  Louis  really  likes  that  sort  of  thing ; 
he  deserves  no  credit  for  it.  I  used  to  appre 
hend  that  I  should  find  myself  brother-in- 


Across  the  Chasm.  79 

law-less  very  shortly  in  consequence  of  those 
habits,  but  he  thrives  on  them ;  he's  the  health 
iest  person  I  know.  Don't  waste  your  sympa 
thy  on  him,  Margaret ;  keep  it  all  for  me.  It 
isn't  those  who  endure  hardships,  but  those 
who  can't  endure  them  that  should  be  pitied." 


CHAPTEK  V. 

season  was  now  fairly  opened,  and  Mrs. 
J-  Gaston  kept  her  young  .guest  liberally 
supplied  with  amusement.  There  were  all 
sorts  of  entertainments  for  them  to  go  to,  some 
of  which  Margaret  found  very  inspiring  and 
delightful,  and  some  extremely  dull.  Cousin 
Eugenia,  however,  found  nothing  unprofitable. 
Every  visit  and  every  entertainment  served 
some  purpose,  in  her  abstruse  economy,  and,  if 
she  failed  to  derive  actual  diversion  from  any, 
it  still  fulfilled  some  end,  and  in  some  manner 
was  turned  to  account. 

She  would  take  Margaret  with  her  on  the 
endless  round  of  afternoon  calls  that  she  made, 
never  doubting  that  she  was  conferring  an  im 
mense  favor  on  her  young  country  cousin,  until 
the  latter  begged  to  be  excused  from  some  of 
them,  confessing  that  they  wearied  her.  This 
was  a  great  surprise  to  Cousin  Eugenia,  who 


Across  the  Chasm.  81 

cherished  the  honest  conviction  that  every  op 
portunity  of  catching  a  glimpse  of  the  great 
world  of  fashion  must  perforce  be  esteemed  a 
high  privilege  and  delight  by  this  little  South 
ern  cousin,  whom  she  pitied  profoundly  for  her 
necessary  isolation  from  such  sources  of  hap 
piness.  Margaret  was  perfectly  aware  of  this, 
and  secretly  much  amused  at  it.  That  Cousin 
Eugenia,  or  any  one,  should  commiserate  her 
upon  her  lot  in  life  was  something  very  strange 
to  her,  for  she  had  always  known  herself  to  be 
a  very  happy  and  fortunate  girl. 

"  The   Kellers  give  such   stupid   parties ! " 
said  Cousin  Eugenia  one  evening,  as  she  and 
Margaret  were  returning  from  a  large  enter 
tainment.    "  I  haven't  missed  one  of  them  for 
_the  past  five  years,  and  they  are  asphyxiating 
affairs.     I'm  glad  this  one  is  well  over." 
"  Why  do  you  go  to  them,  then  ?  " 
"Oh,  every  one  does.    At  least  every  one 
who  can.    You  saw  how  full  the  rooms  were 
this  evening,  and  yet   every   one   there  was 

bored." 
6 


82  Aoross  the  Chasm. 

"I  was,  undoubtedly,"  said  Margaret,  "and 
for  that  reason  I  should  certainly  not  go 
again." 

"  You  can  afford  to  be  independent,  my  dear, 
being  here  only  on  a  visit,  but  if  you  lived  in 
Washington  you'd  soon  find  that  it  was  desir 
able  for  you  to  be  seen  at  the  Kellers'." 

"Why?" 

"  Oh,  because  of  their  position." 

Margaret  was  silent  a  moment,  and  then  she 
said  impulsively  : 

"  Do  excuse  my  asking  such  a  thing,  Cousin 
Eugenia,  but  I  really  want  to  understand. 
Could  it  possibly  enhance  your  social  value  to 
be  seen  anywhere  ?  " 

Cousin  Eugenia  gave  a  little  shrug. 

"  You  put  things  so  oddly,  child,  with  your 
Southern  notions  !  Of  course  our  social  posi 
tion  is  fixed  and  definite  and  nobody  would 
dispute  it.  But,  large  as  the  Kellers'  circle  is, 
their  parties  are  very  recherche,  and  it's  well 
worth  while  to  be  seen  there." 

"  I  thought "  began  Margaret. 


Across  the  Ckasm.  83 

"  Well,  go  on,"  said  her  cousin,  as  the  girl 
hesitated.  "  Out  with  it.  Let  me  hear." 

"  I  was  only  going  to  say  that  I  thought  a 
lady,  born  and  reared,  never  had  to  think  of 
anything  like  that." 

"Like  what?" 

"  Where  she  is  seen  and  whether  her  asso 
ciations  will  be  considered  correct.  I  thought 
that  it  would  all  come  of  itself — that  a  lady 
would  not  be  in  danger  of  making  mistakes  of 
that  sort,  because  what  she  did  would  be  the 
natural  outgrowth  of  what  she  was." 

"Those  may  be  the  Southern  ideas,  but 
you'd  not  find  them  to  answer  here." 

"I  don't  know  whether  they  are  Southern 
ideas  or  not,"  said  Margaret;  "I  never  knew 
they  were  ideas  at  all.  Certainly,  I  have  never 
heard  them  formulated  before,  and  I  don't 
quite  know  how  to  express  myself.  They  sim 
ply  seem  to  me  instincts." 

"  That's  because  of  the  associations  you 
have  had,"  said  Mrs.  Gaston.  "  I  have  seen 
very  little  of  your  parents  of  late  years,  but 


84  Across  the  Chasm. 

they  have  lived  in  my  mind  as  people  of  thor 
ough  refinement.  Tour  father  is  a  model  of  a 
gentleman — the  most  high-bred  man  I  ever 
knew,  I  think." 

A  radiant  light  came  into  Margaret's  face. 

"  My  darling,  dear  old  father ! "  she  said, 
fondly.  "  There  is  surely  no  one  like  him,  and 
yet  if  I  were  to  repeat  your  compliment  to  him, 
how  amazed  he  would  be !  He  has  not  an 
idea  how  fine  he  is,  and  has  never  once 
paused  to  consider  whether  he  is  high-bred  or 
not.  He  would  not  hurt  the  feelings  of  the 
lowest  wretch  on  earth — there  is  no  one  too 
mean  for  his  kindly  consideration.  May  I  tell 
you  an  idea  that  has  occurred  to  me,  when  I've 
been  in  society  here,  surrounded  by  such  well- 
dressed,  elegant  looking,  accomplished  men, 
and  have  compared  them  to  him  ?  It  is  that 
they  are  all  trying  to  be  what  he  is." 

Mrs.  Gaston  did  not  reply  at  once,  but  her 
silence  proceeded  from  no  feeling  of  intolerance 
of  this  sentiment.  She  was  not  at  all  given 
to  resenting  things,  partly  because  of  a  natural 


Across  the  Chasm.  85 

indolence,  and  partly  because  she  did  not  feel 
enough  on  any  subject  to  be  biassed  by  im 
pulse. 

"  I  can  understand  your  having  that  feeling 
about  your  father,"  she  said,  presently,  "  and 
it's  quite  possible  it  may  be  true.  "We  will 
submit  the  point  when  we  find  any  one  wise 
enough  to  decide  it  for  us.  But  the  world 
is  large,  and  there  are  many  men  and  many 
minds,  and  manners  vary  in  different  places. 
That  line  of  tactics  would  not  do  in  "Wash 
ington." 

At  this  point  in  their  conversation  they 
found  themselves  at  home,  and  the  subject  was 
consequently  dropped. 

It  happened  about  this  time  that  some  of 
Mrs.  Gaston's  wide  circle  of  Southern  connec 
tions,  who  were  always  cropping  up  in  Wash 
ington,  came  to  the  city,  and  Cousin  Eugenia 
took  Margaret  and  went  to  call  upon — or,  as 
she  did  not  hesitate  to  put  it,  to  inspect  them. 
They  were  a  General  and  Mrs.  Keardon,  the 
former  an  ex-Confederate  officer,  who  had  been 


86  Across  the  Chasm. 

previously  in  the  United  States  army,  and  who 
was  distantly  related  to  both  Mrs.  Gaston  and 
Margaret,  though  neither  of  them  had  any 
thing  more  than  a  slight  acquaintance  with 
him. 

Margaret  soon  perceived  that  Cousin  Eugenia 
did  not  consider  them  up  to  the  mark  socially — 
a  fact  which  was  further  evidenced  by  their 
being  invited  to  lunch,  and  not  to  dinner,  next 
day.  No  one  was  asked  to  meet  them,  and 
Mrs.  Gaston  excused  the  gentlemen  on  the 
score  of  business  hours.  Margaret  noted  the 
whole  proceeding,  and  saw  through  it  and  be 
yond  it.  Cousin  Eugenia  was  perfectly  polite 
and  pleasant — extremely  sweet,  in  fact — and 
yet  there  was  something  in  her  manner  toward 
these  simple  Southern  people,  of  a  type  so 
familiar  to  Margaret  Trevennon,  that  the  girl 
involuntarily  resented.  She  showed  none  of 
this  feeling  to  Mrs.  Gaston,  however,  for  she 
was  beginning  to  understand  that,  although 
that  clever  lady  in  matters  of  abstract  theory 
appeared  to  be  most  reasonable  and  open  to 


Across  the,  Chasm.  87 

conviction,  she  was  adamant  itself  in  carry 
ing  out  her  peculiar  designs  and  purposes, 
and  quite  unused  to  interference  from  any 
one. 

The  Eeardons  came  next  day,  according  to 
appointment,  and  the  little  luncheon-party 
passed  off  very  pleasantly,  greatly  owing  to 
Margaret's  efforts  to  make  it  do  so. 

When  the  guests  were  taking  leave,  they 
asked  if  Mrs.  Gaston  and  Margaret  would  not 
go  with  them  to  an  Art  Exhibition  in  the  even 
ing.  The  proposal  came,  in  a  subdued  and 
deprecating  sort  of  way,  from  Mrs.  Eeardon, 
who  was  still  young  and  pretty  enough  to  be 
somewhat  eager  for  pleasure,  and  although 
Mrs.  Gaston  declined  it  for  herself,  on  the 
score  of  indisposition,  she  encouraged  Mar 
garet  to  go,  and  the  latter  very  willingly  agreed 
to  do  so. 

She  went  accordingly,  and  was  pretty  well 
entertained  with  what  she  saw,  recognizing 
some  acquaintances,  among  whom  was  young 
Mr.  Leary,  who  had  been  sufficiently  per- 


88  Across  the  Chasm. 

severing  to  call  again,  with  better  success 
next  time,  and  who  had  always  been  especially 
polite  to  Margaret  on  meeting  her  in  society. 
Shortly  before  leaving,  an  acquaintance  of 
General  Reardon's  came  up,  to  whom  Mar 
garet  was  presented.  He  was  a  Major  King,  a 
Southern  man,  as  Margaret  somehow  divined 
at  a  glance,  and  a  resident  of  Washington,  as 
it  soon  appeared.  Before  the  party  separated, 
he  inquired  where  Miss  Trevennon  was  stay 
ing,  and  asked  her  permission  to  call  upon 
her.  Margaret  yielded  the  permission,  of 
course,  bufr  with  a  strange  feeling  of  reluc 
tance  ;  she  saw  that,  though  a  familiar  type  of 
Southern  man,  he  was  not  a  favorable  one. 
There  was  a  sort  of  aggressive  self-confidence 
in  his  bearing,  which  was  unpleasant  enough 
to  her,  but  which  she  knew  would  be  posi 
tively  offensive  to  the  prejudiced  minds  of 
the  Gastons.  He  belonged  to  a  class  she  knew 
well — men  whose  range  of  vision  had  been 
limited,  but  who  were  possessed  of  a  feeling 
of  superiority  to  others  in  general,  and  an 


Across  ilue,  CTiasm.  89 

absolute  conviction  of  superiority  to  the  best 
Yankee  that  ever  lived.  It  was  an  attitude  of 
mind  that  had  always  irritated  her,  but  she 
had  never  felt  the  force  of  it  with  such  indig 
nation  as  now,  when  she  was  being  hourly  im 
pressed  with  the  worth  and  superior  qualities 
of  these  people  whom  her  Southern  com 
patriots  regarded  with  such  scorn.  If  Major 
King  should  come  to  call,  however,  she  could 
feel  confident  that  he  would  not  betray  the 
presence  of  this  vindictive  feeling,  for,  despite 
her  disapproval  of  his  tone  and  manner  in 
general^  she  felt  that  she  could  count  upon 
his  possessing  a  spirit  of  courtesy,  a  hidden 
germ  of  which  she  had  rarely  found  wanting 
in  a  Southern  man's  breast. 

Margaret  mentioned,  at  breakfast  next  morn 
ing,  the  fact  of  her  having  met  Major  King, 
and  inquired  of  her  friends  if  they  knew  him. 
The  two  gentlemen  were  silent,  and  Mrs. 
Gaston  replied  by  a  simple  negative.  She  had 
intended  to  mention  the  fact  that  he  had  pro 
posed  to  call  upon  her,  but  some  instinct  pre- 


90  Across  the  Chasm. 

vented  her  doing  so.  Very  probably  he  would 
not  come ;  and,  besides,  she  had  an  indefin 
able  feeling  that  there  was  danger  in  the 
topic. 

It  had  become  a  habit  with  Margaret  to  go 
from  the  breakfast-table  to  the  bow-window, 
on  the  corner  of  the  house,  to  watch  for  the 
coming  of  the  postman,  and  recently  Mr.  Gas- 
ton  had  fallen  into  the  way  of  accompanying 
her.  As  the  two  young  people  found  them 
selves  together  in  the  richly  curtained  recess, 
Margaret  turned  to  her  companion,  with  a 
smile,  and  said : 

"  Mr.  Leary  was  there  last  night.  He  talked 
to  me  for  quite  half  an  hour.  Ought  I  to 
have  been  elated  ?  " 

"Certainly  not,"  replied  the  young  man, 
frowning  slightly.  "  "Why  do  you  ask  such  a 
thing  ?  The  idea  is  quite  absurd." 

"  Yes,  isn't  it  ? "  said  Margaret,  smiling. 
"  He  has  so  little  sense,  and  he  talks  so  much 
about  himself.  Here  comes  the  postman ! " 
She  broke  off  suddenly,  running  to  open  the 


Across  the  Chasm.  91 

door  herself,  never  divining  that  it  would  have 
been  considered  more  decorous  to  wait  until 
Thomas  came  up  from  the  lower  regions,  and, 
with  his  usual  deliberation,  brought  in  the 
letters  on  his  silver  tray. 


CHAPTER  YL 

IT  happened  one  evening,  a  few  days  later 
on,  that  Margaret  found  herself  once  more 
tete-d-tete  with  Louis  Gaston.   General  and  Mrs. 
Gaston  had  gone  to  a  dinner,  from  which  Mar 
garet  was  not  sorry  to  be  excused. 

It  was  a  cold  and  rainy  evening  in  December, 
and  the  drawing-room,  with  its  rich  drapery 
and  soft,  deep  Persian  carpeting,  was  delight 
fully  comfortable  and  warm,  the  wind,  as  it 
whistled  and  blustered  outside,  adding  to  this 
effect.  The  bright  lights  which  hung  from 
the  ceiling,  together  with  the  glowing  fire  in 
the  grate,  shed  a  perfect  wealth  of  warmth  and 
radiance  around,  and  brought  out  the  delicious 
fragrance  of  the  fresh  flowers,  which  filled  a 
china  bowl  on  a  distant  table.  Louis,  as  on 
the  former  occasion,  bent  over  the  table,  just 
within  the  library  door,  with  his  back  to 
ward  the  drawing-room,  and  Margaret,  as 


Across  the  Chasm.  93 

before,  sat  in  the  deep  arm-chair  before  the 
fire. 

"This  is  the  lucky  chance  that  I've  been 
waiting  for,"  said  Gaston,  turning  to  look  at 
Margaret,  as  she  settled  herself  with  her  book. 
"  It  is  such  a  bad  evening  that  I  think  we  may 
hope  for  an  immunity  from  visitors,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  I  shall  lay  by  my  work  and  come  and 
try  some  new  music  I've  provided,  if  you  agree." 

"  I  shall  be  charmed,"  said  Margaret,  with 
ready  acquiescence.  "  I  feel  just  in  the  humor 
for  it.  I  utterly  repel  the  proposition,  how 
ever,  if  you  are  going  to  sit  up  all  night  in 
consequence." 

"  I  will  not,  I  assure  you.  It  is  not  neces 
sary,  in  the  least.  I'll  just  finish  off  a  small 
bit  that  I  am  engaged  on  at  present,  and  then 
put  the  rest  by  until  to-morrow." 

He  returned  to  his  work,  and  Margaret  to 
her  reading,  and  for  a  few  moments  the  silence 
was  unbroken,  save  by  the  sound  of  the  wind 
and  rain  outside,  and  the  soft  little  noises 
made  by  Louis  with  his  pencil  and  rule. 


94  Across  the  Chasm. 

Suddenly  the  door-bell  rang,  and,  as  before, 
they  looked  at  each  other  regretfully.  Louis 
was  about  to  make  the  same  proposition  that 
his  companion  had  responded  to  so  promptly 
on  the  former  occasion,  but  a  look  at  Marga 
ret's  face  checked  him.  An  instinct  which  she 
scarcely  understood  herself,  made  it  impossi 
ble  for  her  to  do  a  thing  like  that  now.  The 
fact  that  she  was  conscious  of  feeling  a  strong 
liking  for  Louis,  restrained  her  from  giving 
such  a  proof  of  it  as  this  would  be. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  give  up  the  music,"  she  said 
simply,  as  Thomas  went  by  to  the  door,  un 
challenged.  "  There  is  still  room  to  hope  that 
it  is  a  call  that  will  not  concern  us." 

For  a  moment  this  seemed  likely,  as  there 
was  a  short  colloquy  with  Thomas  at  the  door 
before  the  visitor  was  admitted,  and  even  after 
that  he  lingered  to  remove  his  overcoat  and 
rubbers  in  the  hall,  with  a  deliberation  that 
implied  a  degree  of  familiarity  that  Margaret 
could  not  identify  as  belonging  to  any  visitor 
at  the  house  whom  she  had  yet  met. 


Across  fhe.  Chasm.  95 

The  next  moment,  as  Louis  Gaston  and  her 
self  were  both  watching  the  door-way,  Major 
King  appeared,  tall,  gaunt,  and  awkward,  but 
eminently  self-possessed. 

His  loosely  hung,  impractically  tall  figure 
was  clad  in  the  inevitable  shiny  black  "  best 
clothes,"  that  poor  Margaret  knew  so  well,  even 
to  the  cut  of  the  long  frock-coat,  with  its  flap 
ping  tails  behind  and  its  bagging,  unhindered 
fronts,  between  which  was  displayed,  through 
a  premeditated  opening  in  the  vest,  a  modicum 
of  white  shirt-front,  interrupted  for  an  inch 
or  so  by  the  fastening  of  the  upper  buttons, 
only  to  reveal  itself  in  more  generous  expan- 
siveness  higher  up  upon  the  Major's  manly 
bosom. 

Margaret's  quick  eye  at  once  perceived  the 
incongruity  of  the  whole  situation,  and  warned 
her  of  the  necessity  of  effort  on  the  part  of 
all  to  reconcile  and  overcome  it.  She  went 
forward  and  received  Major  King  with  the  per 
fect  politeness  which  was  as  natural  to  her 
as  breathing,  and  then  turned  to  present  Mr. 


96  Across  the  Chasm. 

Gaston,  who,  with  the  folding-doors  of  the 
library  opened  wide,  was  quite  as  if  he  were 
in  the  same  room. 

Gaston's  aspect,  at  the  first  glance  she  gave 
him,  was  absolutely  startling  to  her.  His 
whole  bearing  had  changed.  He  had  risen 
from  his  seat  and  turned  toward  the  drawing- 
room,  and  was  standing  by  the  table,  very  erect 
and  still.  The  expression  of  his  face  was  re- 
pellant  to  the  last  degree,  the  brows  were  con 
tracted  in  a  slight  but  perceptible  frown,  and 
the  lips  were  shut  with  a  firm  severity. 

Margaret,  as  she  mechanically  named  the 
two  men  to  each  other,  could  not  help  drawing 
a  swift  mental  contrast  between  the  gaunt 
Southerner,  whose  features  were,  in  reality, 
the  handsomer  of  the  two,  and  the  Northern 
man,  in  his  quiet  evening  dress,  and  wondering 
why  the  latter  looked  so  greatly  the  superior. 
Mr.  Gaston's  attitude,  despite  its  stiffness,  was 
dignified  and  impressive,  and  Major  King's, 
notwithstanding  its  ease,  was  slouching  and 
ungainly. 


Across  the  Chasm.  97 

But  the  most  significant  point  of  contrast 
came  when  each  man,  after  his  kind,  acknowl 
edged  the  introduction. 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,  sir,"  said  Major  King,  in 
loud,  reverberating  tones,  and  made  a  motion 
forward,  as  if  to  extend  his  hand.  This  im 
pulse  was  repressed,  however,  by  the  short, 
supercilious  bow  with  which  the  other  re 
sponded,  pronouncing  the  two  words,  "  Good- 
evening,"  with  a  chilling  and  clear-cut  utter 
ance  that  formed  the  strongest  possible  con 
trast  to  the  stranger's  bluff  and  off-hand  style 
of  address.  Margaret  observed  that  he  did 
not  pronounce  Major  King's  name  at  all. 

The  young  girl  watched  this  interchange  of 
greetings  with  a  rush  of  conflicting  emotions. 
Indignation,  shame,  astonishment  and  real 
pain  fought  for  the  predominance  ;  but  above 
all,  she  was  conscious  of  an  instinct  which 
made  her  feel  that  the  Southern  man's  side 
was  her  side. 

Mr.  Gaston,  as  soon  as  the  introduction  was 
over,  resumed  his  seat  at  the  library-table, 
7 


98  Across  the  Chasm. 

and  went  on  with  his  work,  turning  his  back 
squarely  toward  the  drawing-room,  an  action 
which  made  it  impossible  for  Major  King  to 
fail  to  realize  that  he  was  being  intentionally 
and  deliberately  slighted.  How  galling  this 
knowledge  must  be  to  a  Southern  man  Marga 
ret  well  knew,  and  she  felt  all  her  sympathies 
enlisted  for  Major  King.  With  the  keenest 
anxiety  she  watched  to  see  what  his  course 
would  be. 

With  a  slight  flushing  of  the  cheek  and  a 
dark  flashing  of  the  eye,  the  tall  Southerner  seat 
ed  himself  in  a  delicate  little  gilt  chair,  which 
he  proceeded  to  tip  backward,  until  his  heavy 
weight  caused  the  slight  wood-work  to  creak 
ominously.  Then,  in  response  to  a  brilliant 
leader  respecting  the  weather,  thrown  out  by 
poor  Margaret  in  her  extremity,  he  launched 
into  a  fluent  and  somewhat  irrelevant  strain 
of  conversation,  which  soon  made  it  evident 
that  he  could  go  alone.  His  voice,  alas  !  was 
loud  and  self-asserting,  and  his  whole  manner 
so  arrogant  and  ill-bred  that  Margaret  felt 


Across  the  Chasm.  99 

her  spirit  of  partisanship  growing  fainter  and 
fainter.  One  thing  alone  was  clear  to  her,  and 
that  was  her  own  course.  She  heard  Major 
King  with  polite  attention,  and  answered  his 
remarks,  when  his  fluency  would  permit,  with 
entire  courtesy.  But  Margaret  was  on  the 
rack  the  whole  time  as  he  talked  on,  loud, 
familiar,  and  irritating.  Louis  Gaston,  seated 
just  within  the  library  door,  heard  every  word 
— as  indeed  he  must  have  been  deaf  not  to  do — 
and  Margaret  fancied  she  could  detect  an  ex 
pression  of  angry  superciliousness  in  the  very 
attitude  of  the  well-set  shoulders  and  the  in 
clination  of  the  close-cropped  head. 

The  minutes  came  and  went,  until  they 
mounted  up  to  hours,  and  still  Major  King 
sat  and  talked  and  laughed  and  told  jokes  with 
a  ghastly  hilarity,  which  his  companion  found 
it  frightfully  hard  to  respond  to.  Nine  o'clock 
struck — ten,  eleven,  and  still  he  did  not  go !  It 
could  not  be  that  he  was  enjoying  himself,  for 
the  poor  girl  felt  that  he  was  secretly  as  un 
comfortable  as  herself,  and,  besides,  he  could 


100  Across  the  Chasm. 

never  have  had  a  less  entertaining  companion. 
She  forced  herself  to  attend,  while  he  was  giv 
ing  an  account  of  a  play  he  had  seen  the  night 
before,  which  must  have  been  lame  and  impo 
tent  enough  in  the  first  instance,  but  which 
in  the  rehash  was  intolerable.  She  even 
tried  to  laugh  when  he  came  to  the  amusing 
parts,  which  he  always  indicated  by  laughing 
loudly  himself.  But  it  was  torture  to  her. 

All  things  have  an  end,  however,  an  indis 
putable  proposition  with  which  Margaret  had 
buoyed  herself  up  repeatedly  during  this  trying 
visit,  and  at  last  Major  King  rose  to  go.  He 
was  not  going  to  be  browbeaten  into  a  hasty 
retreat,  however.  Not  he !  He  would  take 
his  time  about  it,  and  by  way  of  a  parting  as 
sertion  of  ease,  he  took  up  a  handsome  book 
from  the  table,  and  after  reading  the  title 
aloud,  with  a  jocular  air  and  a  somewhat  de 
fective  pronunciation,  he  tossed  it  down  so 
carelessly  that  the  beautiful  edition  de  luxe  fell 
to  the  floor,  with  its  delicate  leaves  crushed 
open  beneath  its  heavy  cover.  He  made  no 


Across  the  Chasm.  101 

effort  to  recover  it,  until  lie  saw  Margaret 
stooping  to  do  so,  when  he  hastily  picked  it 
up,  and  flung  rather  than  placed  it  on  the 
table.  When  Margaret  had  shaken  hands  with 
him,  and  said  good-night,  with  no  tinge  of 
abatement  of  the  courtesy  which  had  char 
acterized  her  conduct  throughout,  she  looked 
toward  the  library  and  saw  that  Mr.  Gaston 
had  risen  and  turned  toward  them,  bowing 
to  Major  King  with  exactly  the  same  motion 
and  expression  as  that  with  which  he  had 
acknowledged  their  introduction.  There  was 
one  difference,  however.  The  little  frigid 
bow  was  given  in  perfect  silence,  and  not  one 
word  of  farewell  was  spoken.  Major  King  re 
sponded  by  a  short,  defiant  nod,  and  a  flashing 
glance  which  might  have  surprised  the  other, 
had  he  allowed  his  gaze  to  rest  upon  the  vis 
itor's  face  long  enough  to  perceive  it. 

There  was  a  necessary  delay  in  the  hall  over 
the  rubbers  and  overcoat,  which  it  seemed  to 
Margaret  that  he  put  on  with  elaborate  slow 
ness,  and  then,  at  last,  the  front  door  closed 


102  Across  the  Chasm. 


behind  Major  King  with  a  loud,  contemptuous 


The  ordeal  was  over,  but  it  left  poor  Mar 
garet  with  a  heavy  heart ;  she  felt  disgusted 
with  everything  and  everybody. 

"  There's  not  a  pin  to  choose  between  them," 
she  was  saying  to  herself,  "  only  Mr.  Gaston 
was  the  host,  and  Mr.  Gaston  is  the  more  en 
lightened  man,  and  therefore  more  bound  to 
know  better." 

She  was  too  angry  to  look  at  Louis,  and  was 
leaving  the  room  with  a  quiet  "  good-night," 
when  the  young  man  arrested  her  by  saying,  in 
a  tone  of  undisguised  indignation : 

"  Twenty  minutes  past  eleven  o'clock ;  and  a 
first  visit  too !  This  is  intolerable ! " 

Margaret  looked  straight  into  his  eyes,  with 
a  steady  glance  of  scorn,  that  she  made  no 
effort  to  disguise. 

"  I  dare  say  Major  King  was  unaware  of  the 
lateness  of  the  hour,"  she  said,  in  a  cool,  high 
tone.  "  Good-night,  Mr.  Gaston." 

And  she  walked  quietly  out  of  the  room,  and 


Across  the  Chasm.  103 

mounted   the   stairs  to   her  own   apartment, 
angrier  than  she  had  been  yet. 

She  closed  the  door  behind  her,  turned  the 
gas  on  full,  and  stretched  herself  out  at  her 
whole  length  on  the  lounge,  clasping  her  hands 
under  her  head.  Her  thoughts  were  too  con 
fused  to  be  formulated,  but  the  one  that  pre 
dominated  over  all  the  rest  was  that  she  could 
never  like  Louis  Gaston  again.  She  had  the 
feeling  that  would  have  made  her  wish  to  fight 
him  had  she  been  a  man. 

Major  King's  conduct  had  been  in  the  high 
est  degree  reprehensible,  but  he  had  been  led 
on  to  it  by  the  slights  the  other  offered  him. 
And  then,  too,  she  had  a  keen  perception  of 
what  Major  King's  opportunities  had  probably 
been.  He  belonged  to  the  class  of  impoverished 
Southerners  who  had  lost  everything  by  the 
war,  and  had  probably  spent  most  of  the  years 
of  his  manhood  in  a  small  village,  living  in  a 
style  that  formed  a  strong  contrast  to  the 
affluence  of  his  youth.  His  bearing,  during 
this  trying  evening,  she  attributed  much  to 


104  Across  the  Chasm. 

ignorance  and  much  to  the  stinging  sense  of 
failure  and  defeat,  which  the  war  had  left  on 
so  many  Southern  men.  Added  to  all  this, 
there  must  have  been  a  keen  indignation  at 
the  unjustness  and  insolence  with  which  he 
was  treated  by  a  man  from  whom  he  had  a 
right  to  expect  common  civility  at  least 

But  with  Louis  Gaston  it  was  different.  He 
could  not  plead  the  excuse  of  isolation  and 
ignorance.  He  was  a  cultivated  man  of  the 
world,  who  had  all  the  advantages  of  educa 
tion,  travel,  and  wealth ;  and,  more  than  all, 
his  offence  was  heinous,  in  a  Southern  mind, 
because  it  had  been  committed  against  the 
stranger  within  the  gates. 

"  Nothing  can  ever  wipe  it  out,"  she  mut 
tered  to  herself;  "the  longer  one  thinks  of  it 
the  worse  it  grows.  There  are  half-a-dozen 
palliations  for  Major  King,  but  for  Mr.  Gaston 
there  is  not  one.  I  am  certain  that  Major 
King,  in  spite  of  it  all,  would  have  been  inca 
pable  of  treating  his  worst  enemy  so.  What  a 
mortifying,  humiliating  experience ! " 


Across  the  Chasm.  105 

And,  -with  a  gesture  of  disgust,  Miss  Tre- 
vennon  rose  and  walked  to  the  dressing-table, 
beginning  slowly  to  unfasten  her  little  orna 
ments,  in  preparation  for  the  night's  rest, 
which,  in  her  perturbed  state  of  mind,  was 
very  long  in  coming  to  her. 

Louis  Gaston,  meanwhile,  left  to  his  own 
reflections,  grew  conscious  of  the  fact  that  he 
was  feeling  very  uncomfortable.  The  sensa 
tion  was  not  by  any  means  a  new  one.  He  had 
harbored  it,  uninterruptedly,  for  the  past  three 
hours,  but  it  had  undergone  a  change  in  kind 
and  degree.  He  was  relieved  from  the  intol 
erable  infliction  of  Major  King's  presence,  but 
unrest  in  another  form  had  entered  his  breast ; 
and  though  its  nature  was  less  tangible  and  ag 
gressive,  it  somehow  seemed  to  strike  deeper. 

He  could  not  be  blind  to  the  fact  that  he 
had  offended  Margaret,  whose  conduct  during 
the  evening  had  really  puzzled  him  as  much 
as  his  had  puzzled  her.  How  could  she  bear 
to  be  pleasant  and  civil  to  a  man  like  that  ?  It 
made  him  angry  to  think  of  the  fellow's  daring 


106  Across  the  Chasm. 

even  to  speak  to  her,  and  lie  assured  himself 
that  he  had  been  perfectly  right  to  pursue  a 
course  which  would  free  her  from  such  an  ob 
noxious  intrusion  in  future.  And  vet,  under 

•/ 

it  all,  there  was  a  glimmering,  disturbing  little 
consciousness  that  he  had  somehow  been  in 
the  wrong.  It  was  the  first  time  in  his  life 
that  he  had  had  occasion  to  distrust  his  social 
methods,  and  he  would  not  quite  own  to  such 
a  state  of  mind  now.  There  was,  moreover, 
another  feeling  at  work  within  his  breast, 
which  caused  him  to  determine  that  he  would 
make  some  concessions,  if  necessary,  to  re 
instate  himself  in  this  young  lady's  regard.  It 
was  a  thing  which  he  knew  he  had  heretofore 
enjoyed,  and  he  felt  a  strong  reluctance  to 
giving  it  up. 

Neither  were  Louis  Gaston's  slumbers  as 
serene  and  tranquil  as  usual  that  night.  He 
made  some  effort  to  return  to  his  work,  but  he 
found  it  impossible  to  fix  his  attention  on  it, 
and  so  retired  to  bed  to  wait  for  the  sleep  that 
was  so  strangely  long  in  coming. 


CHAPTEE  VH. 

TTJ'HEN  Miss  Trevennon  appeared  at  break- 
I  f  fast,  the  morning  after  Major  King's  visit, 
Mr.  Gaston  greeted  her  with  more  than  his 
usual  cordiality,  and  for  the  first  time  ad 
dressed  her  as  "  Miss  Margaret." 

The  young  lady  replied  to  his  morning  salu 
tation  with  a  composed  civility,  and  gave  no 
sign  of  having  observed  the  distinguished 
familiarity  with  which  she  was  treated.  She 
was  quite  her  usual  self  during  the  meal,  but 
she  said  little  to  Louis  Gaston,  and  he  observed 
that  she  did  not  voluntarily  look  at  him.  By 
the  time  that  breakfast  was  ended  she  had 
managed,  without  awakening  the  least  sus 
picion  on  the  part  of  the  others,  to  convey  to 
Louis  Gaston  the  conviction  that  she  was  set 
like  steel  against  him. 

It  was  at  the  same  time  depressing  and  in 
spiring  to  the  young  man  to  perceive  this.  He 


108  Across  the  Chasm. 

was  sorry  to  have  this  charming  girl  angry 
with  him,  and  yet  he  could  well  imagine  how 
pleasant  a  reconciliation  with  her  would  be. 
He  was  certainly  not  a  coxcomb,  but  he  was 
accustomed  to  good-humored  handling  by 
women,  and  he  had  no  misgivings  as  to  his 
ability  to  adjust  the  present  little  difficulty  to 
his  entire  satisfaction.  Meantime,  there  she 
sat  opposite,  looking  very  charming,  with  her 
air  of  dainty  reserve.  The  impertinent  little 
ignoramus,  to  pretend  to  set  him  right !  He 
smiled  to  himself  at  the  absurdity  of  the 
thought.  The  situation  seemed  to  him  ex 
tremely  piquant. 

He  had  already  settled  upon  the  remark  with 
which  he  would  open  the  conversation,  when 
he  should  presently  follow  her  into  the  bow- 
window  as  usual,  and  he  was  therefore  a  little 
disconcerted  when  Miss  Trevennon  passed  out 
of  the  dining-room  by  the  door  that  opened 
into  the  hall,  and  mounted  the  stairs  to  her  own 
room,  whence  she  did  not  emerge  until  Louis, 
after  long  waiting,  had  gone  off  down  town. 


Across  the  Chasm.  109 

Later  in  the  day,  when  Margaret  found  her 
self  alone  with  Mrs.  Gaston,  she  had  some 
thought  of  informing  the  latter  of  last  night's 
occurrences,  but  upon  reflection  this  appeared 
so  difficult  that  she  gave  it  up.  It  was  doubt 
ful  if  any  good  purpose  could  be  served  there 
by,  and  besides  it  would  be  very  hard  to  de 
scribe  her  own  feelings  with  sufficient  reserve 
to  avoid  the  rudeness  of  speaking  unwarrant 
ably  to  Mrs.  Gaston  of  the  brother-in-law  who 
was  such  a  favorite  with  her.  Apart  from  all 
this,  though  there  had  been  no  opportunity  for 
the  positive  manifestation  of  the  feeling,  it  was 
borne  in  upon  her  that  Mrs.  Gaston  herself 
would  be  found  ranged  on  Louis'  side.  So  she 
said  nothing  about  the  matter  and  listened  to 
Cousin  Eugenia's  plans  for  the  day  just  as 
usual. 

There  was  another  dinner  on  hand  for  this 
evening,  and  Mrs.  Gaston  expressed  her  inten 
tion  of  going  out  to  recuperate  her  energies  by 
a  drive  before  luncheon,  and  Margaret  pres 
ently  left  her,  agreeing  to  join  her,  ready  for 


110  Across  the  Chasm. 

the  expedition,  at  twelve.  In  the  hall  she  met 
a  servant  with  some  letters,  one  of  which 
proved  to  be  from  her  mother.  This  letter, 
filled  with  all  manner  of  little,  familiar  do 
mestic  details,  was  read  and  re-read  by  Mar 
garet  with  a  degree  of  feeling  quite  inconsistent 
with  the  nature  of  its  contents.  The  quiet 
home-pictures  presented  such  a  contrast  to 
the  annoyances  recently  encountered,  that  for 
a  while  she  heartily  wished  herself  back  at 
Bassett. 

There  was  but  one  item  of  especial  impor 
tance  in  the  letter,  and  that  was  the  announce 
ment  of  the  sudden  return  from  Europe  of  Mrs. 
Trevennon's  nephew,  Alan  Decourcy,  an  indi 
vidual  who  had  long  reigned  in  Margaret's 
mind  and  memory  as  a  veritable  Prince  Charm 
ing,  who  possessed  to  the  letter  every  endow 
ment  of  nature  and  advantage  of  fortune  which 
the  most  exacting  of  maidens  could  have  asked. 
Margaret  had  not  seen  him  since  he  had  come 
to  man's  estate,  but,  as  a  boy,  he  had  spent 
much  of  each  year  at  a  country  home  near  Bas- 


Across  the  Chasm.  Ill 

sett,  owned  by  his  mother,  and  she  had  always 
looked  upon  him  as  the  most  fortunate  and 
gifted  of  beings.  He  was  an  only  son,  and  his 
sister,  who  was  some  years  older  than  himself, 
was  now  married  and  living  in  Baltimore.  To 
this  sister  Margaret  had  pledged  herself  for  a 
visit  before  returning  to  the  South.  How 
pleasant  it  would  be  to  meet  Alan  there  !  His 
mother  was  now  dead,  and  after  finishing  his 
course  at  a  Northern  university  he  had  gone 
abroad  for  a  year's  travel,  but  it  was  only  at 
the  end  of  four  years  that  he  had  now  returned. 
She  wondered  if  he  would  prove  to  be  as  hand 
some  and  charming  as  memory  painted  him ! 
His  occasional  letters  had  been  very  delightful, 
and  led  her  to  believe  that  all  the  bright 
promises  of  his  youth  had  been  fulfilled.  And 
now  he  had  actually  returned,  and  she  was  to 
see  him !  Mrs.  Trevennon  wrote  that  she  had 
already  sent  him  her  daughter's  address  in 
Washington,  saying  that  he  must  run  over 
from  Baltimore  and  see  her.  She  added  that 
her  nephew  had  said  that  he  would  probably 


112  Across  the  Chasm. 

linger  a  while  in  New  York  before  joining  his 
sister,  and  so  his  movements  were  rather  in 
definite. 

The  feelings  which  this  announcement  of 
Alan  Decourcy's  return  awakened  were  con 
tradictory.  Margaret  was  naturally  very 
anxious  to  see  this  charming  cousin,  but  she 
did  not  want  him  to  come  to  see  her  in  this 
house ;  she  hoped  she  might  never  have  an 
other  visitor  here.  Alan  Decourcy  was  sure 
to  be  all  that  was  elegant  and  charming,  but 
since  One  person  who  had  come  to  this  house 
to  see  her  had  been  treated  with  such  dis 
courtesy  she  wished  for  no  more  visitors.  Al 
ready  she  had  begun  to  lay  plans  for  the  ter 
mination  of  her  visit,  and  she  now  resolved  to 
speak  to  Cousin  Eugenia,  on  the  subject  of  go 
ing  to  Baltimore,  as  soon  as  the  opportunity 
should  offer. 

"  I  wish  I  had  Alan's  New  York  address," 
she  said  to  herself ;  "  I'd  write  and  tell  him  I 
would  go  to  Baltimore,  and  so  prevent  his 
coming  here.  What  would  papa  and  mamma 


Across  the  Chasm.  113 

i 

think  if  they  knew  I  was  staying  at  a  house 
where  I  could  not  ask  my  cousin  to  call  upon 
me,  because  I  had  no  assurance  that  my  visitors 
would  not  be  treated  rudely  ?  They  would  not 
believe  it.  They  simply  could  not  understand 
it.  My  dear  old  father !  He  would  take  my 
letter  to  the  light  and  read  it  over  with  his 
spectacles  on,  to  see  if  there  was  not  some  mis 
take  in  his  understanding  of  it.  Once  con 
vinced,  however,  I  know  well  enough  what  his 
course  would  be.  He  would  write  me  to  come 
away  at  once."  And  Margaret  rose  to  prepare 
for  her  drive  with  eyes  that  had  grown  moist  at 
these  recollections  of  her  far-off  home. 

By  the  time  that  Cousin  Eugenia  sent  to 
summon  her,  however,  Miss  Trevennon  had 
recovered  her  composure,  and  when,  a  little 
later,  seated  by  her  cousin's  side,  she  was 
bowling  swiftly  over  the  smooth,  hard  pave 
ments,  the  exhilaration  of  the  exercise  had 
roused  her  spirits  to  such  buoyancy  that  small 
annoyances,  past  and  future,  seemed  trivial 
enough  to  be  ignored. 


CHAPTER 

HAVING  assisted,  humbly  and  admiringly, 
at  Mrs.  Gaston's  elaborate  dinner-toilet 
that  evening,  Margaret  followed  the  gracefully 
cloaked  and  hooded  figure  down  the  stairs  and 
out  to  the  door-steps,  when  she  said  a  gay 
good-by  to  her  cousin  and  General  Gaston,  and 
turned  and  entered  the  house.  She  had  been 
informed  that  Louis  Gaston  also  had  an  en 
gagement,  and  so  she  had  the  not  unwelcome 
prospect  of  a  quiet  evening  to  herself.  There 
were  some  things  that  she  wanted  leisure  to 
think  out,  calmly  and  deliberately,  and  as  the 
drawing-room  looked  very  warm  and  inviting 
she  turned  toward  it,  and  had  sunk  into  her 
favorite  chair  before  the  fire,  when  she  per 
ceived,  for  the  first  time,  that  the  library  doors 
were  thrown  open  and  that  Louis  Gaston  was 
sitting  there  at  work.  The  sight  was  an  irritat 
ing  one.  His  very  attitude  and  the  set  of  his 


Across  the  Chasm.  115 

firm,  strong  shoulders,  recalled  vividly  her  dis 
comfiture  of  the  previous  evening,  and  roused 
all  the  quick  indignation  she  had  felt  then. 
She  was  about  to  withdraw  at  once,  in  the 
hope  that  he  might  not  have  perceived  her 
entrance,  when  he  turned  suddenly,  and,  seeing 
her,  rose  and  came  forward,  his  face  wearing 
its  pleasantest  smile,  and  his  manner  at  its 
easiest  and  friendliest. 

"Well,  Cousin  Margaret,"  he  said,  "and  so 
they've  left  you  behind !  But  I  can  assure  you, 
you  needn't  regret  it.  The  party  is  an  old- 
fogy  affair,  which  will  be  long  and  tedious. 
There's  some  glory  to  be  got  out  of  it,  I  dare 
say,  but  I'll  wager  there  isn't  much  pleasure." 

Margaret  heard  him  deliver  himself  of  these 
affable  observations  with  intense  indignation. 
"  Cousin  Margaret  "  indeed !  Did  he  presume 
to  suppose  for  an  instant,  that  he  could  atone 
for  the  indignity  he  had  offered  her,  and  the 
positive  pain  he  had  caused  her,  by  a  few 
careless  words  of  flattery  and  a  caressing  tone 
of  voice  ? 


116  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  I  shouldn't  have  cared  to  go  with  them  in 
the  least,"  she  answered  coldly.  "  I  am  used 
to  quiet.  Cousin  Eugenia  said  you  had  an 
engagement." 

"  So  I  have  ;  but  that  can  be  postponed,  as 
also,  I  suppose,  may  be  your  meditations," 
answered  Louis,  feeling  a  keener  zest  in  the 
accomplishment  of  this  reconciliation  with 
Margaret  since  he  saw  it  was  likely  to  cost  him 
some  pains.  "  Suppose  now  you  and  I  run  off 
to  the  theatre.  There's  a  pretty  little  play  on 
the  boards,  and  we'll  take  our  chances  for  a 
seat." 

"  Thank  you,  I  don't  care  to  go  out  this  even 
ing,"  responded  Margaret,  in  the  same  voice. 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  which  might 
have  lasted  longer,  but  for  some  symptoms  of 
flight  on  the  part  of  Miss  Trevennon,  which  the 
young  man  saw  and  determined  to  thwart. 

"  I  am  afraid,"  he  began,  speaking  with  some 
hesitation,  "that  I  was  so  unfortunate  as  to 
offend  you  in  some  way  last  night,  when  your 
edifying  visitor  was  here " 


Across  the  Chasm.  117 

"  Please  don't  refer  to  that  episode,  unless 
you  mean  to  apologize  for  what  you  did,"  Mar 
garet  interrupted  him,  with  an  inflection  of  con 
trolled  indignation.  "Tour  laughing  at  him 
now  does  not  mend  matters." 

The  young  man's  whole  expression  changed. 
This  was  really  a  little  too  much. 

"  Apologize  ! "  he  said  quickly,  a  dark  frown 
gathering.  "  You  are  under  some  remarkable 
delusion,  Miss  Trevennon,  if  you  think  I 
acknowledge  it  to  be  a  case  for  an  apology.  It 
was  a  most  presumptuous  intrusion,  and  as 
such  I  was  compelled  to  resent  it,  on  your 
account  as  well  as  my  own." 

"  Don't  let  me  be  considered  in  the  matter,  I 
beg,"  said  Margaret,  with  a  little  touch  of 
scorn.  "  I  wish  no  such  deed  as  that  to  be 
done  in  my  name." 

"May  I  ask,"  said  Gaston,  in  a  keen,  distinct 
voice,  "whether  your  championship  of  this 
gentleman  is  due  to  an  admiration  and  endorse 
ment  of  his  manner  and  conduct,  or  to  the 
more  comprehensive  fact  of  his  being  a  South- 


118  Across  the  Chasm. 

erner  ?  You  Southerners  are  very  clannish,  I've 
been  told." 

Margaret  had  always  held  herself  to  be 
superior  to  sectional  prejudices,  but  there  was 
something  in  his  manner,  as  he  said  this,  that 
infuriated  her. 

"  We  Southerners,"  she  answered,  feeling  a 
thrill  of  pride  in  identifying  herself  with  the 
race  that,  by  his  looks  and  tones,  he  was  so 
scornfully  contemning,  "  are  not  only  a  clan 
nish  people,  but  also  a  courteous  one,  and  the 
very  last  and  least  of  our  number  is  incapable 
of  forgetting  the  sacred  law  of  hospitality  to  a 
guest." 

Undoubtedly  Miss  Trevennon  had  forgotten 
herself,  but  it  was  only  for  a  moment.  She 
had  said  more  than  she  meant  to  say,  and  she 
checked  herself  with  an  effort,  and  added 
hastily : 

"I  much  prefer  not  to  pursue  this  subject, 
Mr.  Gaston.  "We  will  drop  it  just  here,  if  you 
please." 

The  fact  that  Mr.  Gaston  bowed  calmly,  and 


Across  the  Chasm.  119 

quietly  returned  to  his  work,  by  no  means 
proved  that  he  was  in  reality  either  calm  or  quiet. 
It  was  only  by  a  great  effort  of  self-control  that 
he  forced  himself  to  be  silent,  for  both  the 
words  and  tones  that  this  young  lady  had  used 
were  stingingly  provoking.  But  what  affected 
him  most  was  the  stunning  presumptuousness 
of  the  whole  thing.  That  this  ignorant  South 
ern  girl,  who  had  passed  most  of  her  life  in  a 
little  insulated  village,  should  venture  to  set 
him  right  on  a  point  which  affected  his  bear 
ing  as  a  man  of  the  world,  was  infuriating.  He 
mentally  assured  himself  that  his  conduct  to 
ward  the  fellow,  King,  had  been  exactly  what 
it  should  have  been,  and,  moreover,  he  deter 
mined  to  take  occasion  to  show  Miss  Treven- 
non  that  he  neither  regretted  nor  desired  to 
apologize  for  it.  He  felt  eager  for  an  oppor 
tunity  to  do  this,  and  all  his  accustomed  prej 
udices  and  habits  of  mind  grew  deeper  and 
stronger. 

For  a  few  moments  longer  they  kept  their 
places  in  perfect  silence,  Margaret  in  her  seat 


120  Across  the  Chasm. 

before  the  fire  and  Gaston  at  the  writing-table, 
when  suddenly  the  door-bell  rang.  Neither 
moved  nor  spoke,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
Thomas  announced  a  gentleman  to  see  Miss 
Trevennon. 

"  Alan  Decourcy !  "  exclaimed  Margaret, 
springing  to  her  feet,  in  excited  surprise,  as 
the  gentleman  approached.  "  Why,  Alan,  this 
is  unexpected !  " 

Mr.  Decourcy  came  nearer,  and  taking  both 
her  hands  in  his,  pressed  them  cordially. 

"  It  would  be  ungrateful  of  me  not  to  recog 
nize  my  cousin  Margaret,  in  this  tall  young 
lady,"  he  said,  looking  at  her  with  obvious 
admiration  in  his  calm,  gray  eyes,  "and  yet 
it  is  only  by  an  effort  that  I  can  do  so." 

At  this  instant  Margaret  remembered  Louis, 
whom,  in  the  confusion  of  this  meeting,  she 
had  quite  forgotten.  She  turned  toward  him, 
naming  the  two  men  to  each  other,  and  to  her 
consternation  she  saw  that  he  had  risen,  and 
was  standing  erect,  with  exactly  the  same  re- 
pellant  expression  and  attitude  which  he  had 


Across  the  Chasm.  121 

assumed  in  greeting  Major  King  the  evening 
before.  With  the  same  frigid  manner  he  ac 
knowledged  the  present  introduction,  and  after 
that  little  icy  bow,  he  seated  himself  at  his 
writing  and  turned  his  back,  as  before. 

Mr.  Decourcy,  meantime,  had  taken  a  chair, 
from  which  Mr.  Gaston's  attitude  was  perfectly 
evident  to  him,  but  he  showed  quite  as  little 
concern  thereat  as  Major  King  had  done. 
And  yet  what  a  different  thing  was  this  form 
of  self-possession !  Mr.  Decourcy's  low-toned 
sentences  were  uttered  with  a  polished  accent 
that  told,  as  plainly  as  all  the  words  in  the 
dictionary  could  have  done,  that  he  was  a  man 
of  finished  good-breeding.  He  treated  Mar 
garet  with  an  affectionate  deference  that  she 
could  not  fail  to  find  extremely  pleasing ;  in 
quired  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trevennon,  and  said 
he  was  determined  to  go  down  to  see  the  old 
home  and  friends  before  the  winter  was  over ; 
told  Margaret  he  was  glad  she  had  verified  his 
predictions  by  growing  tall  and  straight ;  asked 
if  they  still  called  her  Daisy  at  home,  and 


122  Across  the  Chasm. 

whether  it  would  be  accounted  presumptuous 
for  him  to  do  so ;  said  very  little  indeed  of 
himself  and  his  travels,  and  at  the  end  of  about 
fifteen  minutes  rose  to  take  leave. 

Margaret  quietly  replied  to  all  his  questions, 
and  when  he  held  out  his  hand  to  say  good- 
by,  she  made  no  motion  to  detain  him,  by 
word  or  sign. 

"  I  am  going  back  to  Baltimore  in  a  day  or 
two,"  he  said,  "and  shall  hardly  see  you 
again,  but  I  hope  you  will  allow  me  to  arrange 
for  a  visit  from  you  to  my  sister,  to  take  place 
very  soon.  When  she  writes  to  you  on  the 
subject,  as  she  will  do  at  once,  do  let  her  find 
you  willing  to  co-operate  with  her." 

While  Margaret  was  uttering  a  hearty  assent 
to  this  plan,  Louis  Gaston,  who  had,  of 
course,  heard  all  that  had  passed,  was  rapidly 
casting  about  in  his  mind  as  to  how  he  should 
rescue  himself  from  an  odious  position.  There 
was  now  no  more  time  to  deliberate.  He 
must  act ;  and  accordingly  he  came  forward, 
with  a  return  to  his  usual  manner,  which 


Across  the,  Chasm.  123 

Margaret  had  once  thought  so  good,  and  said 
frankly : 

"I  happened  to  have  an  important  bit  of 
work  on  hand,  Mr.  Decourcy,  which  it  was 
necessary  for  me  to  finish  in  haste.  I  have 
been  obliged,  therefore,  to  forego  the  pleasure 
of  making  your  acquaintance,  but  I  hope  you 
will  give  me  your  address  that  I  may  call 
upon  you." 

"  Thank  you,  I  am  at  the  Arlington  for  a 
day  or  two,"  responded  Decourcy,  with  his 
polished  politeness  of  tone  and  manner,  in 
which  Margaret  felt  such  a  pride  at  the  mo 
ment. 

"  It  is  quite  early,"  Louis  went  on,  "  and  my 
brother  and  sister  have  deserted  Miss  Tre- 
vennon  for  a  dinner.  Will  you  not  remain  and 
spend  the  evening  with  her?  " 

Alan  Decourcy  possessed  to  perfection  the 
manner  which  George  Eliot  describes  as  "  that 
controlled  self-consciousness  which  is  the  ex 
pensive  substitute  for  simplicity,"  and  it  was 
apparently  with  the  most  perfect  naturalness 


124  Across  the  Chasm. 

that  lie  pleaded  another  engagement  and  took 
leave,  with  compliments  and  regards  to  Gen 
eral  and  Mrs.  Gaston.  The  price  this  young 
man  had  paid  for  this  manner  was  some  years 
of  studious  observance  of  what  he  considered 
the  best  models  at  home  and  abroad,  and  his 
efforts  had  been  eminently  successful.  It  im 
posed  upon  Margaret  completely,  and  charm 
ing  though  she  saw  her  cousin  to  be,  she  would 
have  said  that  his  manners  were  as  unstudied 
as  a  child's. 

Louis  Gaston,  on  his  part,  considered  the 
matter  more  understandingly.  He  recognized 
in  this  cousin  of  Miss  Trevennon  a  polished 
man  of  the  world.  The  type  was  familiar 
enough  to  him,  but  he  knew  that  this  was  an 
exquisite  specimen  of  it,  and  the  very  fineness 
of  Mr.  Decourcy's  breeding  made  his  own  re 
cent  bearing  seem  more  monstrously  at  fault. 
He  felt  very  anxious  to  set  himself  right  with 
Miss  Trevennon  at  once,  but  almost  before  he 
had  time  to  consider  the  means  of  doing  this 
she  had  said  good-night  and  gone  up  stairs. 


Across  the  Chasm.  125 

He  stood  where  she  had  left  him,  abstracted 
and  ill  at  ease.  What  a  power  this  girl  had 
of  making  him  feel  uncomfortable ;  for  it  was 
not  Decourcy's  censure  and  disapprobation 
that  he  deprecated  half  so  much  as  Margaret's. 
Again  there  came  into  his  breast  that  new, 
strange  feeling  of  self-distrust.  He  shook  it 
off  with  a  sigh,  tired  of  self-communing  and 
reflection,  and  anxious  to  act.  He  felt  his 
present  position  unendurable. 

Accordingly,  he  rang  for  Thomas  and  sent 
him  to  ask  Miss  Trevennon  if  he  could  speak 
to  her  for  a  few  minutes.  Thomas  carried 
the  message,  and  presently  returned  to  say 
that  Miss  Trevennon  would  come  down. 

When  she  entered  the  room,  soon  after,  she 
looked  so  stately,  and  met  his  eyes  with  such 
a  cold  glance,  that  a  less  determined  man 
might  have  faltered.  He  was  very  much  in 
earnest,  however,  and  so  he  said  at  once : 

"  I  ventured  to  trouble  you  to  return,  Miss 
Trevennon,  in  order  that  I  might  apologize  to 
you  for  what  I  acknowledge  to  have  been  an 


126  Across  the  Chasm. 

act  of  rudeness.  I  am  exceedingly  sorry  for 
it,  and  I  ask  your  pardon." 

"You  have  it,  of  course,  Mr.  Gaston.  An 
offence  acknowledged  and  regretted  is  neces 
sarily  forgiven.  I  want  you  to  tell  me  explic 
itly,  however,  what  act  you  refer  to." 

"  I  feel  myself  to  have  acted  unwarrantably, 
indeed  rudely,  in  my  manner  of  receiving  your 
cousin.  I  was  angry  at  the  time,  and  I  forgot 
myself.  I  have  done  what  little  I  could  to 
atone  for  it  to  Mr.  Decourcy,  but  I  felt  that  I 
owed  you  an  apology,  because  in  acting  thus 
toward  a  guest  of  yours  I  was  guilty  of  a 
rudeness  to  you." 

Margaret  was  silent;  but  how  she  burned 
to  speak ! 

"  Am  I  forgiven  ?  "  said  Gaston,  after  a  little 
pause,  for  the  first  time  smiling  a  little,  and 
speaking  in  the  clear,  sweet  tones  that  she  had 
lately  thought  the  pleasantest  in  the  world. 
If  she  thought  so  still,  she  denied  it  to  her 
own  heart. 

"I    need    hardly  say,   Mr.    Gaston,"  she 


Across  the  Chasm.  127 

answered,  forcing  back  a  sigh,  "  that  as  far  as 
I  am  concerned,  you  have  quite  atoned  for 
your  treatment  of  my  cousin." 

"  Then  am  I  reinstated  in  your  favor,  great 
Queen  Margaret,  and  will  you  give  me  your 
royal  hand  upon  it?  " 

He  extended  his  hand,  but  Margaret  quickly 
clasped  hers  with  its  fellow,  and  dropped 
them  in  front  of  her,  while  she  slowly  shook 
her  head.  There  was  none  of  the  bright 
naivete  so  natural  to  her,  in  this  action;  she 
looked  thoughtful  and  very  grave. 

The  young  man  felt  his  pulses  quicken ;  he 
resolved  that  she  should  make  friends  with 
him,  cost  what  it  might.  It  had  become  of  the 
very  first  importance  to  him  that  he  should  be 
reinstated  in  that  place  in  her  regard  which 
he  knew  that  he  had  once  held,  and  which 
he  now  felt  to  be  so  priceless  a  treasure. 

"I  am  still  unforgiven,  I  see/'  he  said ;  "but 
you  will  at  least  tell  me  what  is  my  offence 
that  I  may  seek  to  expiate  it." 

Margaret  raised  her  candid  eyes  to  his  and 


128  Across  the  Chasm. 

looked  at  him  a  moment  with  a  strange  ex 
pression  ;  doubt,  disappointment  and  glimmer 
ing  hope  were  mingled  in  it. 

"  Shall  I  be  frank  with  you  ? "  she  said, 
speaking  from  a  sudden  impulse.  "I  should 
like  to,  if  I  dared." 

"  I  shall  be  distressed  if  you  are  not,"  he 
said,  almost  eagerly.  "  I  beg  you  to  say  freely 
what  you  have  in  your  mind." 

She  did  not  speak  at  once,  but  sank  into  a 
chair,  with  a  long-drawn  respiration  that  might 
mean  either  sadness  or  relief.  When  Gaston 
had  brought  another  chair  and  placed  it  close 
beside  her  and  seated  himself,  she  looked  up 
and  met  his  gaze.  In  the  eyes  of  both  there 
was  the  eagerness  of  youth — in  the  girl's  a 
hesitating  wistfulness,  in  the  man's  a  subdued 
fire,  somewhat  strange  to  them.  He  was  con 
scious  of  being  deeply  stirred,  and  if  he  had 
spoken  first  his  words  would  probably  have 
betrayed  this,  but  it  was  Margaret  who  broke 
the  silence,  in  tones  that  were  calm  and  steady, 
and  a  little  sad. 


Across  the  Chasm.  129 

"Mr.  Gaston,"  she  said,  turning  her  eyes 
away  from  his  face  and  looking  into  the  fire, 
"  it  wouldn't  be  worth  while,  I  think,  for  me  to 
pretend  to  feel  the  same  toward  you,  after 
what  has  happened;  it  would  be  only  pretence. 
Twenty-four  hours  ago  I  should  have  said  you 
were  the  young  man  of  all  my  acquaintance 
whom  I  felt  to  be  the  truest  gentleman.  I  would 
not  say  this  to  your  face  now,  except  that  it 
is  quite  passed." 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  have  said  it — most  glad 
that  it  was  ever  so,"  he  said,  with  a  hurried 
ardor  ;  "  but  it  is  a  great  height  to  fall  from. 
And  have  I  indeed  fallen  ?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Margaret,  not  smiling  at  all, 
but  speaking  very  gravely.  "You  began  to 
fall  the  moment  Major  King  came  into  this 
room  last  night,  and  you  have  been  falling 
ever  since,  as  I  have  gone  over  it  all  in  my 
mind.  You  reached  the  bottom  when  my  cousin 
came  in  this  evening,  and  the  shock  was  so 
great  that  it  caused  a  slight  rebound ;  but  I 
don't  suppose  that  signifies  much." 


130  Across  the  Chasm. 

If  the  girl's  eyes  had  not  been  fixed  upon 
the  fire  she  would  probably  have  checked  her 
speech  at  the  sight  of  the  expression  which 
settled  upon  her  companion's  face  the  moment 
Major  King's  name  was  mentioned.  But  she 
did  not  see  it,  and  was  therefore  unprepared 
for  the  hard,  cold  tone  in  which  his  next  words 
were  uttered. 

"I  have  felt  and  acknowledged  my  fault, 
where  your  cousin  was  concerned,"  he  said. 
"Mr.  Decourcy  is  a  gentleman,  and  nothing 
but  the  fact  of  my  being  preoccupied  with  the 
resentment  I  felt  at  certain  words  of  yours  at 
the  time,  would  have  caused  me  to  act  toward 
him  as  I  did.  This  explains,  but  does  not  jus 
tify  my  conduct,  which  I  have  acknowledged 
to  be  unjustifiable.  But  in  the  other  case,  Miss 
Trevennon,  I  must  maintain  that  I  acted 
rightly." 

"If  that  is  your  feeling  about  it,"  Margaret 
said,  "I  think  this  conversation  had  better 
end  here." 

"Why,    Miss    Trevennon?"    he    asked,    a 


Across  the  Chasm.  131 

little  defiantly.  "I  see  no  reason  why  it 
should." 

"  Because  its  object,  as  I  suppose,  has  been 
to  bring  about  an  understanding  between  us ; 
and  since  you  have  defined  your  sentiments,  it 
is  clear  to  me  that  we  could  no  more  come  to 
understand  each  other  than  if  you  spoke  San 
scrit  and  I  spoke  French." 

"I  believe  you  are  mistaken,"  he  said.  "I 
have  a  feeling  that  our  positions  are  not  so 
widely  different  as  they  may  appear  to  be. 
Don't  refuse  to  listen  to  me,  Miss  Trevennon ; 
that  would  be  unjust,  and  you  are  not  an  un 
just  woman." 

It  was  a  wonderful  proof  of  the  hold  she 
had  laid  upon  him  that  he  took  such  trouble 
to  exonerate  himself  in  her  eyes,  and  he  felt  it 
so  himself,  but  he  no  longer  denied  the  fact 
that  Miss  Trevennon's  good  opinion  was  a  mat 
ter  of  vast  importance  to  him.  The  little  im 
pulses  of  anger  which  her  severe  words  now 
and  then  called  forth,  were  always  short  lived. 
One  glance  at  the  lovely  face  and  figure  near 


132  Across  the  Chasm. 

him  was  generally  enough  to  banish  them, 
and  now,  as  he  treated  himself  to  a  long  look 
at  the  fair  countenance,  with  its  sweet  down 
cast  eyes  and  slightly  saddened  mouth,  the  im 
possibility  of  quarrelling  with  this  exquisite 
creature  presented  itself  so  strongly,  that  he 
grew  suddenly  so  friendly  and  at  ease,  that  he 
was  able  to  assume  a  tone  that  was  pleasant, 
and  almost  gay,  as  he  said  : 

"  Now,  Miss  Trevennon,  honor  bright !  You 
know  perfectly  well  that  you  don't  like  that 
man  one  bit  better  than  I  do." 

"  I  don't  like  him  at  all.  I  yield  that  point 
at  once,  but  I  fail  to  see  how  that  affects  the 
matter.  Children  and  savages  regulate  their 
manners  according  to  their  tastes  and  fancies, 
but  I  had  always  supposed  that  well-bred  men 
and  women  had  a  habit  of  good-breeding  that 
outside  objects  could  not  affect." 

"A  gentleman's  house  is  his  castle,  Miss 
Trevennon,"  said  Gaston,  with  a  return  to  his 
former  tone  and  manner ;  "  and  it  is  one  of  the 
plainest  and  most  sacred  of  his  duties  to  see 


Across  the  Chasm.  133 

that  the  ladies  of  his  household  are  protected 
from  all  improper  contact.  In  my  brother's 
absence  I  stood  in  the  position  of  the  gentle 
man  of  the  house,  and  I  did  right  to  adopt  a 
line  of  conduct  which  would  save  you  from  a 
like  intrusion  in  future.  I  owed  it  to  you  to 
do  so." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Margaret,  waving 
her  hand  with  a  pretty  little  motion  of  scorn 
ful  rejection.  "You  allowed  your  consider 
ation  for  me  to  constrain  you  too  far.  I  have 
led  a  free,  unrestricted  life,  and  am  accustomed 
to  contact  with  those  who  come  and  go.  No 
man  has  a  finer  feeling  as  to  what  is  fitting  for 
the  ladies  of  his  family  than  my  father,  but 
though  I  should  live  to  reach  old  age,  I  shall 
never  see  him  pay  so  great  a  price  for  my  im 
munity  from  doubtful  association  as  an  act  of 
rudeness  to  any  one  whomsoever." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  it  is,  Miss  Trevennon,'* 
said  Gaston,  speaking  rather  warmly,  "  if  you 
lived  in  Washington,  you  would  see  things 
differently.  There's  no  end  to  the  pushing 


134  Across  the  Chasm. 

impertinence  of  the  people  who  hang  about  a 
city—  this  one  especially,  and  a  gentleman  does 
not  like  to  have  his  friends  in  danger  of  meet 
ing  these  obnoxious  creatures  at  his  house.  It 
looks  very  queer,  and  people  think  so,  too." 

"  Is  a  gentleman's  position,  then,  so  easily 
impeached  ?  Now  I  should  have  thought  that, 
with  your  name  and  prestige,  you  might 
weather  a  good  many  queer  appearances.  An 
annoyance  of  this  sort  would  not  be  likely  to 
happen  often.  That  it  is  an  annoyance,  I  do  not 
deny ;  but  I  think  there  must  be  a  better  way 
of  preventing  such  things  than  the  one  you 
adopted.  And  oh,  Mr.  Gaston,  while  we  are 
on  this  subject,  I  wonder  how  you  can  ignore 
one  point,  the  agony  that  you  caused  me ! " 

"That  /  caused  you,  Miss  Trevennon?  It 
is  hard,  indeed,  to  lay  at  my  door  the  dis 
comfiture  you  endured  last  evening." 

"  I  think  it  was  the  most  wretched  evening 
I  ever  passed,"  said  Margaret,  "  and  it  was 
only  your  conduct  that  made  it  so." 

"  My  conduct  ?    Now  you  are  unjust !  " 


Across  the  Chasm.  135 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Margaret.  "  I  am  not  so 
wholly  unimired  to  the  necessity  of  sometimes 
bearing  annoyances,  as  to  be  made  miserable 
by  having  to  talk  for  several  hours  with  a 
man  I  do  not  like.  You  will  never  believe  it, 
of  course,  but  I  do  not  think  Major  King  is  a 
man  who  lacks  good  feeling,  the  essence  and 
soul  of  politeness.  He  belongs  to  a  type  that 
I  know  very  well.  He  is  an  ignorant  man  and 
a  very  self-opinionated  one,  and  he  has  been 
so  long  in  need  of  association  with  his  supe 
riors  that  he  has  begun  to  think  that  he  has 
none.  He  does  not  know  the  world,  and  is 
therefore  unaware  of  the  fact,  that  a  man  who 
holds  the  position  of  a  gentleman  may  be 
guilty  of  many  lapses  without  losing  that 
position.  I  spoke  just  now  of  its  being  rather 
a  light  tenure,  but,  in  some  ways,  it  is  very 
strong,  it  seems.  I  have  said  I  do  not  like 
Major  King,  but  I  believe  it  is  a  mistake  to 
call  him  vulgar.  He  is  foolish  and  conceited, 
because  he  has  had  very  slender  opportunities 
to  learn  better.  But  oh,  Mr.  Gaston,  how 


136  Across  the  Chasm. 

different  with  you!  It  is  impossible  not  to 
draw  the  contrast.  You  know  the  world. 
You  have  studied  and  travelled.  You  are 
clever,  cultivated  and  accomplished,  and  to 
what  end  ?  It  has  all  resulted  in  an  act  which 
yesterday  I  would  have  wagered  my  right  hand 
you  were  incapable  of." 

She  spoke  with  real  feeling  in  her  voice,  and 
Gaston  caught  this  inflection,  and  the  sound 
of  it  quickened  his  blood.  His  ideas  and 
emotions  were  strangely  confused.  He  felt 
that  he  ought  to  be  angry  and  resentful,  but 
he  was  conscious  only  of  being  contrite. 

"  I  have  said  too  much.  I  have  spoken  far 
too  freely,"  said  Margaret,  breaking  in  upon  his 
reflections.  "  I  meant  to  be  quite  silent,  but 
when  you  urged  me  to  speak  I  forgot  myself. 
I  am  sorry." 

"  Don't  be,"  the  young  man  answered  gently ; 
"  the  fact  that  these  are  your  opinions  entitles 
them  at  least  to  my  respect.  But  there  is  one 
thing  I  must  mention  before  we  drop  this  sub 
ject.  I  cannot  be  satisfied  to  allow  you  to 


Across  the  Chasm.  137 

retain  the  idea  that  I  -was  accountable  for  the 
discomfiture  you  endured  yesterday  evening. 
You  must  know  that  I  would  joyfully  shield 
you  from  all  vexations  and  annoyances." 

"No,"  said  Margaret  gently,  shaking  her 
head ;  "  it  was  you,  and  not  Major  King,  who 
made  those  hours  so  wretched  to  me.  You 
made  no  effort  to  conceal  the  fact  that  you 
were  outraged  and  indignant,  and  what  could 
be  clearer  than  that  I  had  been  the  means  of 
bringing  this  deeply  resented  annoyance  upon 
you  ?  If  you  had  thought  of  me,  you  must 
have  seen  that." 

"  I  thought  of  you  continually.  It  was 
chiefly  upon  your  account  that  I  resented  the 
intrusion.  It  matters  little  to  a  man  whom  he 
happens  to  rub  against,  but  it  pains  me  deeply 
that  a  lady — that  you  should  not  be  screened 
from  such  intercourse." 

In  spite  of  herself,  Margaret  was  touched 
by  this.  A  hundred  times,  since  she  had 
known  him,  she  had  seen  Louis  Gaston  give 
evidence  of  an  exquisite  feeling  of  deference  to 


138  Across  the  Chasm. 

women,  and  she  could  readily  believe  that  he 
had  been  influenced  on  this  occasion  partly 
by  consideration  for  herself ;  and  while  she 
resented  the  means  used  she  did  justice  to  the 
motive. 

"It  is  much  better  that  we  have  talked  of 
this,"  she  said  presently.  "  I  do  thank  you 
for  having  that  feeling  about  me.  You  could 
not  know  it  was  not  needed.  I  will  try  to 
forget  it  all." 

"  But  you  will  not  succeed,"  he  said ;  "  your 
tone  convinces  me  of  that.  I  wish  we  under 
stood  each  other  better,  Miss  Trevennon,  and 
I  do  not  yet  give  up  the  hope  that  in  time 
we  may." 

He  drew  out  his  watch  and  looked  at  it,  say 
ing  in  tones  that  showed  him  to  be  in  a  serious 
mood: 

"  I  have  an  appointment  to  see  a  man  on 
business,  and  I  must  go  and  keep  it.  I  shall 
probably  be  late  coming  in,  and  shall  hardly 
see  you  again,  so  I'll  say  good-night." 

As  he  spoke,  he  turned  and  went  into  the 


Across  the  Chasm.  139 

hall,  and  a  moment  later  Margaret  heard  the 
front  door  close  behind  him. 

As  she  slowly  mounted  the  stairs  to  her 
room,  she  remembered  that  he  had  not  asked 
her  again  to  shake  hands  with  him,  in  token 
of  a  re-establishment  of  the  old  relationship 
between  them,  and,  on  the  whole,  she  did  not 
regret  it.  It  was  as  well  that  he  should  know 
that  he  was  not  restored  to  his  former  place 
in  her  regard.  Her  faith  in  him  had  been 
terribly  shaken,  and  it  seemed  impossible  he 
could  ever  be  to  her  again  the  man  she  had 
once  thought  him. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WHEN  Mrs.  Gaston   and  Miss  Trevennon 
were  driving  along  the  avenue  next  morn 
ing,  the  former   said   abruptly,  "Why  didn't 
you  tell  me  of  your  cousin's  visit  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  see  you  when  you  came  in, 
you  know,"  answered  Margaret  evasively. 
"  Who  told  you  ?  " 

"  Louis :  and  I  gathered  from  certain  indi 
cations  that  there  had  been  something  un 
pleasant  in  this  meeting.  I  didn't  ask  him  to 
explain  it  to  me,  and  I  don't  ask  you.  I  hate 
explanations.  I  have  always  foreseen  that  a 
certain  amount  of  clashing  was  inevitable  be 
tween  you  and  Louis.  You  are  both  very  well 
in  your  ways,  but  your  ways  are  very  different 
and  not  very  reconcilable.  I  am  very  sorry 
anything  of  the  sort  happened  ;  but  I  don't  let 
it  prey  upon  my  mind,  and  I  hope  you  will  not 
either." 


Across  the  Chasm.  141 

"  Oh  no,"  said  Margaret ;  "  it  was  nothing 
very  important.  Mr.  Gaston  was  rude  to  Alan 
when  he  first  came  in,  but  he  atoned  for  it  as 
far  as  he  could  afterward." 

At  this  moment  a  handsome  drag  contain 
ing  two  gentlemen  and  a  liveried  servant  was 
seen  approaching,  and,  as  it  came  up  to  them, 
one  of  the  gentlemen  recognized  Margaret  with 
a  bow  and  a  smile. 

"  There's  Alan  now !  "  said  Margaret.  "  I 
wonder  who  the  gentleman  is,  who  is  driving." 

"  It's  young  Lord  "Waring,"  said  Mrs.  Gas- 
ton,  with  animation.  "  He  is  attached  to  the 
British  Legation — the  minister's  nephew,  I  be 
lieve.  And  so  that  was  Alan  Decourcy !  What 
a  charming  young  man !  I  wonder  how  Louis 
could  be  rude  to  a  man  like  that." 

It  was  Margaret's  usual  habit  to  pass  over 
such  remarks  as  this  from  Cousin  Eugenia,  as 
she  was  convinced  of  the  fruitlessness  of  argu 
ment  in  her  case ;  but  this  speech  touched  her 
on  such  a  sore  point  that  she  could  not  help 
saying,  in  rather  keen  tones  : 


142  Across  the  Chasm. 

"A  man  who  could  be  rude  to  any  one 
whomsoever,  must  be  somewhat  difficult  to 
count  upon,  I  should  think.  He  must  be  often 
puzzled  to  decide  whom  to  treat  civilly  and 
whom  to  snub." 

"  Oh,  there  you  go,  with  your  high-flown 
Southern  notions,"  retorted  Mrs.  Gaston,  with 
imperturbable  good-humor.  "  You're  your  fa 
ther's  own  child  !  But  we  must  have  this  ele 
gant  young  man  to  dinner.  Do  you  happen  to 
know  if  he  is  engaged  for  this  evening  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Margaret,  "I  didn't  hear  him 
say." 

"  He  will  probably  call  during  the  day." 

"  No,  he  will  not,"  said  Margaret,  decidedly. 
"  He  told  me  he  should  not  see  me  again  be 
fore  going  to  Baltimore.  But  he  is  to  make 
arrangements  for  me  to  go  over  for  a  little  visit 
soon,  and  I  shall  see  him  then." 

"  Nonsense  !  He's  to  come  and  see  you  at 
my  house,  and  he's  to  make  friends  with  us  all. 
Louis  has  been  in  the  wrong,  and  he  shall  be 
made  to  see  it.  Leave  that  to  me.  I  shall  write 


Across  the  Chasm.  143 

young  Decourcy  a  note  as  soon  as  I  get  home  ; 
and  you  shall  write  too,  and  endorse  my  invi 
tation." 

Margaret  felt  very  anxious  that  her  cousin 
should  come  and  dine  at  the  Gastons',  but  she 
seriously  doubted  his  willingness  to  do  so. 
Despite  his  perfect  courtesy,  there  had  been 
something  in  his  manner  toward  Louis  Gaston 
that  made  it  clear  that  he  did  not  desire  to  im 
prove  the  latter's  acquaintance,  and  she  wanted 
him  to  see  that  in  the  interview  he  had  had 
with  Gaston  he  had  seen  Louis  at  his  worst,  and 
to  realize  that  he  had  a  better  side.  And,  on 
the  other  hand,  she  wanted  the  Gastons  to  see 
Alan  Decourcy  as  a  specimen  of  a  Southern 
gentleman,  who  not  only  possessed,  by  inheri 
tance,  all  the  instincts  and  traditions  that  she 
clung  to  and  respected,  but  who,  in  addition 
to  these,  had  had  sufficient  contact  with  the 
world  to  get  rid  of  that  colossal  belief  in  him 
self  and  his  own  methods  and  manners,  as  the 
only  commendable  ones,  which  she  felt  to  be 
one  of  the  chief  failings  of  her  countrymen. 


144  Across  the  Chasm. 

She  had  been  too  long  accustomed  to  the  arro 
gant  assumption  that  a  Southern  man  had  bet 
ter  take  the  wrong  way  in  any  issue  than  learn 
the  right  way  from  a  Yankee,  not  to  rejoice  in 
the  prospect  of  presenting  to  her  friends  a 
young  Southerner  who  was  really  enlightened, 
and  who,  if  he  loved  his  own  land  best,  did  so 
because  he  had  compared  it  with  others,  and 
not  because  he  was  ignorant  of  everything  be 
yond  it. 

But  when  Mrs.  Gaston  had  despatched  her 
note,  inviting  Mr.  Decourcy  to  dine  with  them 
that  evening  at  six,  and  there  came  a  response 
regretting  that  a  previous  engagement  for 
dinner  prevented  his  accepting  her  invitation, 
Mrs.  Gastou  was  quite  provoked  about  it, 
and  when  they  were  at  dinner  she  confided 
her  disappointment  to  her  husband  and  his 
brother. 

"  I  called  on  him  at  the  Arlington,  this 
morning,"  said  Louis,  "  but  he  was  out." 

"  Yes,  we  met  him,"  said  Mrs.  Gaston.  "  He 
was  driving  with  Lord  Waring." 


Across  the  Chasm.  145 

Margaret  felt  a  little  throb  of  gratification, 
as  her  cousin  made  this  announcement,  of 
which  she  was  deeply  ashamed  the  next  instant. 
"  I  am  getting  the  most  horrid  ideas  into  my 
head,"  she  said  to  herself;  "what  a  little  snob 
I  should  have  felt  myself  two  months  ago,  to 
be  filled  with  vulgar  elation  at  the  thought  of 
Alan  Decourcy  being  seen  driving  with  a  lord ! 
It's  perfectly  humiliating  !  "  But  all  the  same, 
the  satisfaction  remained. 

"  I  wonder  where  he  is  going  to  dine,"  Mrs. 
Gaston  went  on,  presently.  "  He  will  call,  of 
course,  in  acknowledgment  of  my  invitation, 
and  when  he  does,  Margaret,  you  must  ask 
him." 

The  next  morning  he  did  call,  and  Mrs.  Gas- 
ton  and  Margaret  were  at  home  to  receive  him. 
Margaret  asked  him,  in  the  course  of  their 
talk,  where  he  had  dined  the  day  before,  and 
convicted  herself  a  second  time  of  snobbish 
ness  by  the  pleasure  she  felt  in  hearing  him 
answer  : 

"At  the  British  Legation.     The  minister 
10 


146  Across  the  Chasm. 

happens  to  be  an  old  acquaintance,  and  War 
ing  and  I  were  great  chums  at  one  time.  By- 
the-way,  he  was,  for  some  reason,  rather  struck 
with  you,  Daisy.  He  was  with  me  when  I 
met  you  driving  yesterday,  you  remember.  I 
told  him  you  were  a  pet  cousin  of  mine,  and  it 
may  have  been  on  that  account  that  he  asked 
me  to  bring  him  to  call  upon  you." 

"  I  hope  you  will  do  so,"  Mrs.  Gaston  said. 
"  We  should  be  glad  to  see  him." 

There  was  no  under-bred  eagerness  in  her 
tones  as  she  said  it,  but  Margaret  suspected 
that  there  might  be  a  little  in  her  heart,  and 
she  was  not  sorry  when  Decourcy  answered, 
merely : 

"  Thank  you ;  you're  very  kind,"  and  then 
changed  the  subject  by  saying : 

"  I  picked  up  a  little  present  for  you,  when 
I  was  in  Naples,  Margaret.  I  unpacked  it  this 
morning  and  will  send  it  to  you." 

A  few  minutes  after  this  he  took  leave, 
having  made  on  both  ladies  an  extremely  good 
impression,  which  Mrs.  Gaston  owned  to,  in 


Across  the  Chasm.  147 

voluble  phrases,  and  which  Margaret  concealed 
under  a  very  calm  exterior. 

A  day  or  two  later  Alan  called  again,  and 
brought  with  him  Lord  Waring,  who  proved 
to  be  a  little  dull.  He  was  shy  and  con 
strained  in  manner  and  hampered  by  a  certain 
gawkiness  which  Decourcy's  exquisite  ease  of 
breeding  made  the  more  apparent.  In  spite  of 
all  this,  however,  there  was  something  rather 
distinguished  in  the  young  foreigner,  a  sincer 
ity  and  simplicity  that  stamped  him  as  a  man  of 
worth,  and  a  commanding  self-security  that  was 
as  far  removed  from  self-sufficiency  as  possible. 

It  was  arranged  between  Miss  Trevennon 
and  her  cousin  that  they  were  to  go  to  Balti 
more  in  a  few  days,  and  it  was  not  until  he 
rose  to  take  leave  that  he  put  into  her  hands 
a  box,  which  he  told  her  contained  the  little 
present  he  had  spoken  of. 

As  soon  as  the  two  gentlemen  had  gone, 
Margaret  tore  open  the  parcel  with  the  eager 
ness  of  a  girl  to  whom  presents  are  somewhat 
rare,  and  discovered,  in  a  beautiful  little 


148  Across  the  Chasm. 

mosaic  box,  an  antique  silver  chatelaine  of  the 
most  rare  and  exquisite  workmanship.  There 
was  a  small  watch,  and  -  other  richly  chased 
pendents,  and  the  whole  thing  was  pretty 
enough  to  delight  any  girl  alive,  even  in  the 
absence  of  a  just  appreciation  of  its  value. 
Cousin  Eugenia,  however,  being  thoroughly 
initiated  in  all  such  matters,  was  handling  and 
examining  it  with  a  depth  of  appreciation  that 
almost  brought  tears  to  her  eyes. 

"  Why,  Margaret,  it  is  a  superb  present,"  she 
exclaimed ;  "  a  veritable  antique,  such  as  not 
one  woman  in  a  thousand  is  lucky  enough  to 
possess.  You  must  let  me  show  it  to  Mrs. 
Norman ;  she  is  continually  flaunting  hers  in 
peoples'  faces,  and  it  doesn't  compare  with  this. 
I  should  say  it  is  quite  modern  beside  this. 
Just  look  at  these  clasps.  The  watch  is  not 
so  antique,  but  the  chains  and  clasps  are  won 
derful." 

Margaret,  as  she  looked  on  and  listened,  could 
scarcely  conceal  the  amusement  she  felt.  She 
had  often  before  this  had  reason  to  observe 


Across  the  Chasm.  149 

the  almost  solemn  emotion  with  which  Cousin 
Eugenia  was  wont  to  regard  certain  articles  of 
great  luxuriousness  or  magnificence.  She  had 
seen  her  stirred  to  the  soul  by  a  plush  portiere, 
and  almost  tearful  at  the  mere  recollection  of 
a  French  costume.  Appreciation  was  one 
thing,  but  this  was  another.  It  transcended 
mere  appreciation,  and  seemed,  in  some  way, 
to  be  tinctured  with  the  heroic. 

"What  an  aesthete  you  would  have  made, 
Cousin  Eugenia,  if  only  the  proper  influences 
had  been  brought  to  bear !  "  said  Margaret, 
laughing.  "I  can  fancy  you  speaking,  in 
awed  and  hushed  accents,  of  a  strange  and 
mysterious  color,  or  a  significant  and  subtle 
bit  of  drapery.  You  consider  yourself  unemo 
tional,  but  you  have  depths  which  may  be 
stirred.  It  takes  a  silver  chatelaine  of  a  rare 
order  to  compass  it,  however,  or  something  as 
imposing.  I  have  to  thank  you  for  enlight 
ening  me  as  to  the  value  of  Alan's  gift.  If 
I  tell  him  you  wept  upon  it,  it  may  compensate 
in  some  measure  for  my  Philistinism." 


150  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  He  must  have  taken  great  care  in  the  se 
lection  of  this  present  for  you,"  Mrs.  Gaston 
said.  "  He  admires  you  very  much,  Margaret. 
I  begin  to  wonder  what  it  means." 

Margaret  laughed  gayly. 

"It  means  nothing  whatever,"  she  said ;  "  for 
goodness'  sake,  don't  get  up  any  absurd  notion 
about  Alan  Decourcy  and  me.  It's  a  brand- 
new  idea." 

"  To  you  it  may  be — not  to  him.  He  has  a 
way  of  watching  you  that  means  something. 
A  careful,  scrutinizing  interest  in  all  you  do  is 
observable,  and  often  it  changes  into  those 
quiet  signs  of  approbation,  which  mean  so 
much  in  a  man  like  that.  I  shall  be  prepared 
for  a  prompt  surrender,  so  don't  be  afraid  of 
startling  me  if  you  have  anything  to  communi 
cate  from  Baltimore.  He  told  me  the  other 
day,  that  he  had  reached  an  eminently  mar 
riageable  age,  and  was  dreadfully  afraid  of  pass 
ing  beyond  it.  He  also  said  that  he  much  pre 
ferred  to  marry  one  of  his  own  countrywomen; 
and  I  believe  that  is  what  brings  him  home." 


Across  the  Chasm.  151 

Margaret  gave  an  amused  attention  to  her 
cousin's  speculations,  after  which  they  fell  to 
talking  of  the  proposed  visit  4o  Baltimore, 
which  Cousin  Eugenia  acquiesced  in  only  on 
condition  that  it  should  be  of  but  one  week's 
duration,  and  that  Margaret  should  return  to 
Washington  for  Christmas.  This  she  agreed 
to  do,  resolving,  if  she  found  it  desirable,  to 
arrange  for  another  visit  before  returning  to 
the  South. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MAEGARET  had  been,  from  the  first,  eager 
to  hear  Decourcy's  criticism  of  the  Gas- 
tons,  and  when  she  found  herself  seated  by  her 
cousin's  side,  in  the  train  on  the  way  to  Balti 
more,  with  the  prospect  of  an  hour's  tete-a-tete 
before  her,  she  felt  sure  he  would  volunteer 
his  impressions.  She  only  hoped  that  he  would 
remember  that,  in  spite  of  all,  she  really  liked 
them,  and  that  he  would  refrain  from  speaking 
too  resentfully  on  the  subject.  She  was  full  of 
unuttered  criticism  herself,  but  a  feeling  of 
loyalty  to  the  friends  who  had  shown  her  so 
much  kindness  deterred  her  from  introducing 
the  topic.  It  soon  appeared,  however,  that 
Mr.  Decourcy  had  no  intention  of  speaking  of 
it  at  all.  Of  course  they  talked  about  the 
Gastons,  but  it  was  only  in  incidental  allusions, 
and,  after  all,  it  was  Margaret  who  invited  his 
criticism  by  saying  directly  : 


Across  the,  Chasm.  153 

"  What  do  you  think  of  them,  Alan  ?  " 

"  Oh,  pretty  well,"  he  answered  lightly. 
"  The  General  is  a  little  heavy,  but  his  wife 
has  vivacity  enough  to  counterbalance  him,  and 
I  should  say  the  brother  is  a  fine  fellow." 

Margaret's  eyes  opened  wide  with  astonish 
ment.  Forgetting  all  her  good  resolutions, 
now  that  she  and  her  cousin  had  so  decidedly 
shifted  positions,  she  said  excitedly  : 

"Why,  Alan,  I  supposed  you  thought  him 
simply  intolerable." 

Her  cousin,  in  his  turn,  looked  surprised. 

"You  know  him  better  than  I,"  he  said, 
"  and  it  may  be  that  that  is  his  real  character  ; 
but  I  met  him  at  the  club  the  other  night  and 
was  rather  struck  with  him.  It  may  be  all  sur 
face,  however.  He  is  a  good-looking  fellow — 
and  has  very  good  manners." 

"  Good  manners  !  Oh,  Alan  !  His  conduct, 
the  first  time  you  met  him,  was  really  terrible  ; 
it  filled  me  with  shame  for  him." 

"  Oh  yes ;  I  remember  that  very  well,"  said 
Decourcy,  quietly;  "  but  I  rather  fancied,  from 


154  Across  the  Chasm. 

certain  signs,  that  that  was  mostly  due  to  his 
being  at  odds  with  you,  in  some  way.  Yes," 
he  went  on,  looking  faintly  amused  at  the  rem 
iniscence,  "  he  evidently  intended  to  annihi 
late  me,  but  when  he  saw  that  he  had  better 
not  think  of  it,  I  must  say  he  gave  up  with  a 
good  grace,  and  since  then  he  has  done  every 
thing  in  his  power  to  manifest  an  intention  to 
be  civil.  In  this  condition  of  affairs,  I  find 
him  a  very  likeable,  intelligent  fellow." 

"And  you  bear  him  no  grudge  for  the  man 
ner  in  which  he  treated  you  ?  " 

"  My  dear  Daisy  !  what's  the  use  of  bearing 
grudges  ?  Life  is  much  too  short.  And  be 
sides,  a  great  many  people  are  like  that." 

"  What  sort  of  people  ?  Vulgar  people  and 
ignorant  people,  I  suppose  !  " 

"Well,  not  necessarily.  I  have  often  seen 
such  conduct  from  people  whom  I  could  not, 
on  the  whole,  call  either  ignorant  or  vulgar. 
It  seems  to  be  the  instinct  with  some  men  to 
consider  every  stranger  a  blackguard,  until  he 
has  proved  himself  not  to  be  one." 


Across  the  Chasm.  155 

"It  is  abominable,"  said  Margaret;  "per 
fectly  barbarous !  Such  people  have  no  right 
to  claim  to  be  civilized." 

"  In  point  of  fact,  it  is  only  a  very  small  class, 
my  dear,  who  can  justly  lay  claim  to  that  estate. 
I  understand  your  feeling.  How  it  carries  me 
back !  I  used  to  feel  much  as  you  do,  before  I 
went  out  into  the  world." 

"  I  should  think  a  knowledge  of  the  world 
would  make  one  more  fastidious  instead  of  less 
so,"  said  Margaret,  sturdily. 

"I  think  you  are  wrong  in  that  One  learns 
to  take  things  as  they  come,  and  loses  the 
notion  of  having  all  things  exactly  to  one's 
taste." 

"But  surely  such  flagrant  impoliteness  as 
Mr.  Gaston's  would  be  condemned  anywhere," 
said  Margaret.  "You  should  have  seen  his 
treatment  of  Major  King." 

She  then  proceeded  to  give  a  spirited  ac 
count  of  that  episode,  to  her  cousin's  manifest 
interest  and  amusement. 

"And  how  your  hot  Southern  blood  did 


156  Across  the  Chasm. 

tingle ! "  he  commented,  as  she  ended  her  re- 
citaL  "  You  felt  as  if  a  crime  had  been  com 
mitted  in  your  sight,  which  it  was  your  sacred 
duty  to  avenge — did  you  not?  I  had  such 
feelings  once  myself,  and  perhaps,  in  both  our 
cases,  they  may  be  traced  to  the  same  cause. 
Constant  observation  of  such  a  model  as  your 
father  presents  would  put  most  of  the  world 
at  a  disadvantage.  There  is  a  fineness  of  grain 
in  him  that  one  meets  with  but  rarely  any 
where.  With  him  the  feeling  is  that  every 
man  must  be  regarded  and  treated  as  a  gentle 
man,  until  he  has  proved  himself  not  to  be 
one.  It  is  a  better  way.  But  I  think,  after 
all,  Margaret,  that  absolute  good-breeding  is  a 
thing  we  must  look  for  in  individuals,  and  not 
in  classes.  It  certainly  does  not  exist  in  any 
class  with  which  I  have  been  thrown,  and  I 
cannot  quite  see  how  it  could,  as  long  as  our 
social  system  of  standards  and  rewards  remains 
what  it  is.  Do  you  remember  a  clever  squib 
in  Punch,  apropos  of  all  this  ?  " 
Margaret  shook  her  head. 


Across  the  Chasm.  157 

"  I  very  rarely  see  Punch,"  she  said. 

"  It  represents  a  conversation  on  the  deck  of 
an  ocean  steamer,  between  a  beautiful  Ameri 
can  girl,  returning  from  Europe,  and  several 
Englishmen,  who  are  grouped  about  her.  One 

of  these  is  saying :  '  Now,  Miss ,  do  tell  us. 

You've  travelled  a  great  deal,  and  seen  the 
world,  where  have  you  met  with  the  most  ele 
gant,  refined,  and  high-bred  men  and  women  ? ' 
*  Among  your  British  aristocracy,'  replies  the 
young  lady,  frankly.  Her  response  is  greeted 
with  a  flutter  of  delight  by  the  group,  and  their 
spokesman  puts  another  question :  '  Now  tell 
us,  on  the  other  hand,'  he  says, '  where  you  have 
met  with  the  greatest  ill-breeding  and  vul 
garity.'  The  answer  comes  as  promptly  as 
before  :  '  Among  your  British  aristocracy.' 
That,"  proceeded  Decourcy,  after  waiting  for 
Margaret's  ready  tribute  of  appreciation,  "  ac 
cording  to  my  own  small  experience,  states  the 
case  exactly,  and,  with  certain  limitations,  the 
same  thing  is  true  of  the  aristocracy  of  every 
country.  A  low-born  ignoramus  could  never 


158  Across  the  Chasm. 

be  the  finished  snob  that  a  man  of  some  en 
lightenment  may  be  ;  he  wouldn't  know  how. 
But  confess,  Margaret, — hot  little  rebel  as 
you  are! — have  you  never  encountered  the 
elements  of  snobbishness  among  your  own 
people  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  I  always  supposed  it  came  from 
ignorance  and  was  greatly  due  to  the  fact  that, 
since  the  war,  our  people  have  had  so  little  op 
portunity  of  seeing  the  world,  and  have  become 
insulated  and  prejudiced  in  consequence." 

"There  is  something  in  that;  but  it  was  al 
ways  so,  I  fancy,  more  or  less.  We  are  by  nat 
ure  and  habit  a  self-opinionated  race,  with 
certain  honorable  exceptions,  of  course.  But 
this  I  will  say — by  way  of  a  little  private 
swagger  between  ourselves — that  I  think 
we  are  a  courteous  people,  indeed  the  most 
courteous  I  have  known,  with  more  inherent 
good-feeling  for  others.  That  ought  to  com 
fort  you." 

"  Yes,"  said  Margaret,  rather  wistfully;  "  but 
there  are  so  many  other  things.  Our  people 


Across  the  Chasm.  159 

are  so  indolent,  it  seems  to  me — at  least  since 
the  war." 

"You  always  make  me  laugh,  Daisy,  when 
you  introduce  that  little  phrase,  '  since  the 
war.'  You  seem  to  find  in  it  a  satisfactory 
excuse  for  all  the  delinquencies  of  your  be 
loved  people.  But  the  South,  my  sweet  cousin, 
has  never  been  a  Utopia,  any  more  than  other 
lands.  Wheat  and  tares  must  grow  together 
everywhere." 

"  I  am  glad  you  call  them  my  beloved  peo 
ple,"  said  Margaret,  after  a  little  silence.     "  At 
home  they  do  not  think  me  very  patriotic." 
"  Whom  do  you  mean  by  '  they '  ?  " 

"  I  was  thinking  of  Charley  Somers " 

"  Oh,  by-the-way,  I  meant  to  ask  about  that 
pretty  young  fellow, "  said  Decourcy.  "  I  used 
to  make  him  very  angry  by  telling  him  he  ought 
to  induce  Bassett  to  take  a  newspaper,  and  sug 
gesting  that  the  name  of  the  town  should  be 
changed  to  Cosmopolis.  I  am  afraid  Charley 
never  loved  me.  I  shudder  still  at  the  re 
membrance  of  the  scowls  he  would  cast  upon 


160  Across  the  Chasm. 

me  whenever  I  went  near  you.  How  is 
he?" 

"  Very  well,"  said  Margeret ;  "  not  changed 
at  all." 

"He  hasn't  followed  my  advice  about  the 
paper,  then?  How  about  his  voice?  It  bid 
fair  to  be  superb.  I  hope  it  has  developed 
well." 

"  I  don't  think  it  has  developed  at  all,"  said 
Margaret.  "  Certainly  it  has  had  no  training 
worthy  the  name.  It  is  a  shame  to  see  him 
throwing  that  magnificent  gift  away.  I  have 
thought  of  it  so  much,  in  hearing  Mr.  Gaston 
sing.  He  has  no  voice  at  all,  compared  to 
Charley's,  but  he  has  spent  such  patient  labor 
on  its  cultivation  that  his  method  is  exquisite, 
and  his  singing  would  charm  any  one.  Isn't  it 
a  fine  thing  to  think  how  he  worked  over  it, 
while  all  the  time  he  was  studying  hard  at  his 
profession  too."  • 

"  So  Gaston  is  lucky  enough  to  have  won 
your  approbation,  in  one  quarter,  at  least, 
though  he  does  come  under  your  ban  in 


Across  the  Chasm.  161 

another,"  said  Decourcy.  "  You  are  exacting, 
Margaret,  and  severe  in  your  ideals  :  I  foresee 
that  I  shall  be  afraid  of  you.  It  would  be  in 
teresting  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  lucky 
man  who  is  destined  to  command  your  entire 
approval,  and  win  your  fair  hand." 

Margaret  laughed  brightly : 

"  Cousin  Eugenia  says  I  shall  never  marry," 
she  answered ;  "  she  says  I  expect  as  much  as 
if  I  were  an  heiress,  and  a  beauty,  and  an  intel 
lectual  prodigy,  all  in  one.  But  I  tell  her  my 
comfort  is  that  the  sort  of  man  I  should  care  for 
invariably  falls  in  love  with  his  inferior." 

At  this  point  the  train  glided  into  the  station, 
and  the  conversation  between  the  cousins  came 

to  an  end. 
11 


CHAPTEE  XL 

TINDER  the  stimulating  pressure  of  recent 
U  experiences  Margaret  had  taken  up  her 
music  again,  with  great  ardor  and  determina 
tion.  Mr.  Gaston  had  encouraged  her  to  be 
lieve  that  she  might  yet  make  a  good  performer, 
and  had  managed  to  instil  into  her  some  of  his 
own  spirit  of  thinking  it  worth  while  to  achieve 
the  best  attainable,  even  though  great  profi 
ciency  might  be  out  of  reach.  There  was  so 
little  time  during  the  day  when  she  could 
count  upon  remaining  in  undisturbed  posses 
sion  of  the  piano  that,  for  some  time  before 
leaving  Washington,  she  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  rising  earlier  and  practising  for  an  hour  be 
fore  breakfast,  and  she  was  resolved  that  her 
visit  to  Baltimore  should  not  interfere  with 
this  routine.  Indeed,  she  would  have  felt  its 
interruption  to  be  a  serious  moral  retrogres 
sion,  and  so,  with  Mrs.  Guion's  sanction,  she 


Across  the  Chasm.  163 

kept  up  her  morning  labors,  and  when  the 
family  met  at  breakfast  every  day,  she  had 
already  accomplished  her  allotted  period  of 
practising.  Alan  used  to  laugh  at  her  about  it, 
and  tell  her  she  was  becoming  Yankeeized. 
He  was  apt  to  be  late  for  breakfast  himself, 
and  Mrs.  Guion  took  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in 
having  things  kept  hot  for  him,  and  would  ar 
range  little  delicacies  for  him,  much  as  if  he 
had  been  an  invalid  lady,  as  Margaret  more 
than  once  remarked  with  a  certain  degree  of 
impatience.  It  quite  irritated  her  to  see  how 
his  sister  pampered  and  indulged  him  and  how 
carelessly,  and  as  a  matter  of  course,  he  ac 
cepted  it  all. 

The  Guions  had  only  recently  come  to  Balti 
more  from  the  South.  Their  old  home  had 
been  very  near  to  Margaret's,  and  she  had  con 
sequently  seen  much  more  of  Mrs.  Guion,  of 
late  years,  than  of  Alan.  The  children,  of 
whom  there  were  three,  ranging  from  two  to 
seven  years  of  age,  were  cherished  acquaint 
ances  of  Margaret's,  and  hailed  her  arrival 


164:  Across  the  Chasm. 

with  a  hearty  enthusiasm,  that  she  responded 
to  with  much  cordiality.  Ethel,  the  eldest, 
had  been  taught  by  her  mother,  long  ago,  to 
call  Miss  Trevennon  "  Auntie  Margaret,"  and 
Amy  and  Decourcy  had,  of  course,  adopted  the 
title.  They  were  charming  children,  rather 
delicate  in  health,  and  watched  and  guarded 
with  such  care  by  their  anxious  mother,  that 
they  had  the  air  of  frail  exotics.  Mr.  Guion 
had  died  when  Decourcy  was  a  baby,  and  it 
was  because  Alan  had  decided  to  settle  in 
Baltimore  for  the  practise  of  his  profession, 
the  law,  that  Mrs.  Guion  had  moved  her 
little  family  there.  She  was  enthusiastically 
attached  to  her  only  brother,  and  never  wearied 
of  discoursing  upon  his  perfections  and  dis 
playing  the  numberless  useful  and  ornamental 
presents  that  he  lavished  upon  her  children 
and  herself. 

"  Wasn't  it  good  of  Alan  to  insist  upon  our 
coming  to  Baltimore,  that  he  might  make  his 
home  with  us  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Guion,  talking  to 
her  young  cousin,  the  day  after  the  latter' a 


Across  the,  Chasm.  165 


arrival.  "So  many  young  men  would  have 
thought  it  a  nuisance  to  be  hampered  by  a 
woman  and  three  children  ;  but  he  insisted  on 
our  coming." 

"I  can  hardly  see  how  he  could  regard  you 
in  the  light  of  a  nuisance,"  said  Margaret, 
smiling  ;  "  your  chief  object  in  life  seems  to  be 
to  humor  his  whims  and  caprices.  He  could 
certainly  not  secure  such  comfort  as  you  ad 
minister  to  him,  in  any  bachelor-quarters  on 
earth." 

This  view  of  the  case  had  never  occurred  to 
Mrs.  Guion,  and  she  rejected  it  almost  indig 
nantly,  and  argued  long  to  convince  her  cousin 
that  she  was,  in  all  respects,  the  favored  one ; 
but  without  much  success. 

It  was  by  a  mere  accident  that  Margaret 
discovered,  a  day  or  two  after  her  arrival, 
that  Alan's  sleeping-apartment,  situated  just 
above  the  front  drawing-room,  had  been  ex 
changed  for  one  on  the  other  side  of  the  hall. 
In  an  instant  it  flashed  upon  her  that  her 
morning  performance  on  the  piano  had  been 


166  Across  the  Chasm. 

the  cause  of  it.  To  be  quite  certain,  however, 
she  went  to  Mrs.  Guion  and  asked  her  directly 
of  it  was  not  so. 

"  How  did  you  find  it  out  ? "  said  Mrs. 
Guion ;  "you  were  not  to  know  anything  about 
it.  The  other  room  is  quite  as  convenient  for 
Alan.  He  says  he  likes  it  just  as  well,  and  he 
wouldn't  for  the  world  have  you  know  that 
he  moved  on  that  account.  But,  you  know, 
he  never  could  bear  noise.  Even  the  children 
understand  that  they  must  be  quiet  when  he 
is  here." 

"  Is  he  an  invalid,  in  any  way?  "  asked  Mar 
garet. 

"  Oh,  dear  no !  but  he  always  had  that 
objection  to  noise,  and  I  think  he  is  more  set 
in  his  ways  now  than  ever.  I  tell  him  he 
ought  to  marry." 

"  If  he  values  his  personal  ease  so  much,  it 
might  be  a  mistake  to  imperil  it  by  matri 
mony,"  said  Margaret,  with  a  touch  of  con 
tempt  in  her  voice  not  discernible  to  her  un 
suspecting  cousin. 


Across  the  Chasm.  167 

"Affluence  and  idleness  have  made  him 
luxurious,"  said  Margaret  to  herself,  reflect 
ively,  when  Mrs.  Guion  had  left  her  alone.  "  I 
suppose  those  two  things  are  apt  to  go  together. 
And  yet  Cousin  Eugenia  says  Mr.  Gaston  has 
always  been  well  off,  and  certainly  the  veri 
est  pauper  could  not  work  harder !  And 
still " 

The  sentence  ended  in  a  little  sigh.  There 
was  no  denying  the  fact  that  Louis  Gaston's 
descent  from  the  pedestal  upon  which  she  had 
mentally  placed  him,  had  been  a  great  blow. 

Miss  Trevennon's  time  passed  very  agreea 
bly  in  Baltimore.  Mrs.  Guion,  as  yet,  had  only 
a  small  circle  of  friends,  but  most  of  these 
called  upon  her  cousin,  and  several  invita 
tions  resulted  from  these  visits.  As  to  Alan, 
the  number  of  invitations  he  received  was 
quite  amusing.  He  had  been  twice  to  the 
club,  and  had  delivered  only  one  or  two  of  his 
various  letters,  and  made  only  one  or  two 
visits,  when  the  cards  of  invitation  began  to 
pour  in.  He  happened  to  have  a  few  desira- 


168  Across  the  Chasm. 

ble  acquaintances  in  Baltimore,  his  appear 
ance  was  distinguished,  and  he  was  known  to 
be  rich,  and  these  three  facts,  taken  together, 
sufficiently  account  for  the  degree  of  popularity 
of  which  he  found  himself  possessed. 

One  thing  that  rather  surprised  Margaret 
was  the  readiness  with  which  her  cousin  would 
throw  aside  other  engagements  in  order  to 
drive  her  out,  or  take  her  to  the  theatre,  or 
contribute,  in  any  way,  to  her  enjoyment.  He 
even  stayed  at  home  one  whole  rainy  evening, 
when  Mrs.  Guion  was  engaged  up-stairs  with 
one  of  the  children,  who  was  unwell,  in  order, 
as  he  distinctly  avowed,  to  have  a  long  talk 
with  her. 

When  Miss  Trevennon  and  Mr.  Decourcy 
found  themselves  alone  in  the  drawing-room, 
the  latter  threw  himself,  at  full  length,  upon  a 
low  lounge,  drawn  up  before  the  fire,  and,  fix 
ing  his  eyes  enjoyingly  on  Margaret,  as  she 
sat  opposite,  he  drew  a  long  breath  of  restful 
satisfaction,  saying : 

"Now  this  is  real  enjoyment     You  don't 


Across  the  Chasm.  169 

know  it,  perhaps,  but  it  is  just  what  I  have 
longed  for.  Amy  has  really  done  this  room 
charmingly,  and  has  contrived  to  get  pre 
cisely  the  atmosphere  I  like  in  it.  The  con 
fusion  of  sweet  and  pungent  odors  from  those 
plants  yonder  is  just  faint  enough  to  be  agree 
able  ;  and,  far  above  all,  my  fair  cousin,  with 
her  silken  draperies  and  beautiful  pose,  puts  a 
climax  to  my  happiness.  You  have  a  talent 
for  attitude,  my  Marguerite — do  you  know  it  ? 
You  always  place  yourself  to  advantage.  I 
don't  know  whether  it  is  nature  or  art,  but  it  is 
equally  admirable,  in  either  case." 

Margaret,  who  sat  in  a  deep  chair  with  her 
arms  laid  along  its  padded  sides,  and  her  hands 
lightly  clasping  the  rounded  ends,  her  long 
silk  gown  falling  away  to  the  left,  while  her 
figure  was  slightly  turned  toward  her  cousin 
at  her  right,  fixed  her  eyes  upon  the  points  of 
her  little  slippers,  crossed  before  her,  and  re 
mained  profoundly  still. 

For  a  moment  the  young  man  looked  at  her 
in  silence,  and  then  he  said : 


170  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Why  are  you  so  quiet,  dear  Daisy  ?  " 
"I  am  unwilling  to  alter  the  pose  that  has 
won  your  approbation,"  she  said  demurely. 
"  Don't  you  think  if  I  retained  it  long  enough 
I  might  '  be  struck  so,'  as  the  man  in  Patience 
says?" 

"I  should  be  inclined  to  discourage  that 
idea,"  said  Alan,  "  as  I  was  about  to  ask  you 
to  draw  your  seat  a  little  nearer,  and  transfer 
your  hands  from  the  chair's  arms  to  my  head. 
You  know  I  always  liked  you  to  run  your  long 
fingers  through  and  through  my  hair.  Have 
you  forgotten  how  you  used  to  do  it?  I  can 
assure  you  I  have  not." 
As  Margaret  made  no  answer,  he  went  on  : 
"  You  were  quite  a  child  when  you  used  first 
to  do  it — a  tall  little  maid,  even  then,  with 
such  imperious  ways  !  But  you  were  always 
willing  to  do  anything  for  your  big  boy  cousin, 
and  he  has  never  forgotten  you.  All  the  time 
he  was  at  college,  and  afterward,  when  he  went 
abroad  and  travelled  about  in  many  strange 
and  distant  places,  he  carried  with  him  always 


Across  the,  Chasm.  171 

the  image  of  that  little  maid,  and  when,  at  last, 
he  turned  homeward,  one  of  his  pleasantest 
visions  was  that  of  meeting  her  again." 

Margaret  had  changed  her  position  and 
turned  more  directly  toward  him ;  she  was 
looking  straight  into  his  eyes,  with  her  direct 
and  candid  gaze,  which  his  own  met  rather 
dreamily.  She  did  not  speak  in  answer  to 
these  fond  assurances  of  his,  but  as  she  listened 
she  smiled. 

"And  are  you  glad  to  hear  that  I  have  al 
ways  had  this  tendre  for  my  sweet  cousin,  which 
I  somehow  can't  get  over,  even  yet  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes,"  said  Margaret,  gently,  "  very 
glad,"  and  she  looked  at  him  with  a  deep  and 
searching  gaze,  which  he  could  not  quite  un 
derstand. 

"Come  nearer,  dear,"  he  said,  "and  take 
your  old  place  at  my  head,  and  try  to  twist 
my  short  locks  into  curls,  as  you  used  to  do. 
You  will  discover  a  secret  known  only  to  my 
self  and  the  discreet  fraternity  of  barbers. 
Come  and  see  !  "  and  he  extended  a  white 


172  Across  the  Chasm. 

hand,  somewhat  languidly,  to  draw  her  toward 
him. 

"  I  think  not,"  said  Margaret,  drawing  her 
self  upright,  into  an  attitude  of  buoyant  self- 
possession.  "  You  and  the  barbers  may  keep 
your  secret,  for  the  present.  I  won't  intrude." 

"Ah,  but  I  want  you.  Come!"  he  said 
urgently,  still  holding  out  the  delicate  hand, 
on  which  a  diamond  sparkled. 

But  Margaret  shook  her  head. 

"  Consider,"  she  said,  with  a  'little  smile ; 
"  hadn't  I  better  stay  where  I  am  and  pose  for 
you,  'talking  platitudes  in  stained-glass  atti 
tudes,'  than  put  myself  there,  out  of  sight,  en 
croaching  upon  the  barbers'  privileges  in  more 
ways  than  one  ?  As  there  is  only  one  of  me,  I 
think  you  had  better  let  me  stay  where  I  am. 
There  ought  to  be  five  or  six — one  at  your  Se- 
reneness'  head,  and  another  at  your  feet.  Two 
with  jingling  anklets  and  bangles,  to  dance  in 
that  space  over  yonder,  and  two  just  back  of 
them,  to  discourse  sweet  music  on  their  '  cith 
erns  and  citoles '  1 " 


Across  the  Chasm.  173 

Decourcy  smiled  at  her  banter,  but  lie  fan 
cied  lie  discerned  in  her  voice  a  faint  ring  of 
earnestness,  tinctured  with  scorn,  that  discon 
certed  him. 

"  What  is  the  use  of  six,"  he  said,  "  when 
I  have  the  sweet  ministrations  of  all,  merged 
into  one  ? — the  little  maid  of  long  ago  !  Her 
comforting  offices  are  an  old  experience,  and, 
without  having  seen  her  dance,  I'm  willing  to 
pit  her  against  any  pair  of  houris  in  the 
Orient ;  and  as  to  music,  I  prefer  the  piano  to 
citherns  and  citoles." 

"Especially  in  the  early  morning  hours," 
said  Margaret,  slyly,  "  when  your  Sereneness  is 
enjoying  your  nap." 

"  "Who  told  you  anything  about  that  ?  "  he 
said,  starting,  and  turning  toward  her  abruptly. 

"  I  guessed  the  truth  and  asked  Amy,  and 
she  had  to  own  it." 

"  I  don't  hear  you  in  the  least,  where  I  am 
now.  I  hope  you  have  not  given  up  your 
practising  on  my  account.  I  am  afraid  you 
have !  " 


174  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  On  the  contrary,"  answered  Margaret,  "  my 
effort  is  to  make  more  noise,  and  I  constantly 
use  the  loud  pedal.  If  my  instrument  had 
been  as  movable  as  your  apartment,  I  should 
have  followed  you  across  the  hall." 

"  Why  do  you  talk  to  me  like  this,  Daisy?  " 

"  Because  I  think  you  ought  to  come  down 
in  time  for  breakfast,  and  not  give  Amy  the 
trouble  of  having  things  prepared  afresh  for 
you." 

"  Amy  likes  it,"  he  said,  smiling. 

"It  is  very  fortunate,  if  she  does,"  said 
Margaret ;  "  but  I  fancy  she  would  do  it  all 
the  same,  whether  she  liked  it  or  not.  Amy 
never  thinks  of  herself." 

At  this  moment,  Mrs.  Guion  entered,  having 
at  last  soothed  her  little  patient  to  sleep.  Her 
first  act  was  to  bring  a  light  screen  and  put  it 
before  her  brother's  face,  to  shield  it  from  the 
fire. 

"Amy,  why  will  you?  "  said  Margaret.  "You 
spoil  Alan  frightfully.  He's  badly  in  need  of 
discipline." 


Across  the  Chasm.  175 

"  I  wish  you  would  take  me  in  hand,"  he 
said,  looking  at  her  from  behind  the  screen 
with  an  eager  expression,  that  disconcerted 
her. 

Mrs.  Guion's  entrance  introduced  new  topics, 
and  the  tete-d-tete  between  the  cousins  was  not 
renewed. 

The  next  morning  being  rainy,  Margaret  be 
took  herself,  after  breakfast,  to  the  little  up 
stairs  apartment  which  was  the  children's  gen 
eral  play-room,  and  as  the  three  little  creatures 
gathered  around  her,  she  drew  Amy  to  her  side 
and  asked  her  to  tell  her  what  she  thought  of 
Baltimore  on  serious  consideration. 

"  I  don't  like  it  one  bit,  Auntie  Mard'ret," 
said  Amy.  "I  think  it's  a  nasty,  hateful, 
dirty  place." 

"  Why,  Amy ! "  said  Margaret,  reproachfully, 
"I  am  shocked  at  your  using  such  words. 
Where  did  a  sweet  little  girl  like  you  ever  hear 
such  bad  words  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Auntie  Mard'ret,  I  know  a  dreat  deal 
worse  words  than  that,"  said  Amy,  with  her 


176  Across  the  Chasm. 

eyes  opened  very  wide.  "  Why,  if  I  was  to  tell 
you  the  words  I'm  thinkin'  of,  why  you'd  jump 
up  and  wun  out  of  the  wooin." 

"Amy,  I  must  insist  upon  your  telling  me," 
said  Margaret,  feeling  in  duty  bound  to  restrain 
her  amusement,  and  administer  the  rebuke. 
"  What  words  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Auntie  Mard'ret,"  said  Amy,  solemnly, 
"they's  jes'  is  bad  is  they  kin  be — awful 
words  !  I  couldn't  never  tell  you." 

Margaret  insisted  that  she  must  be  told, 
and  after  much  reluctance  on  Amy's  part,  and 
a  demanded  banishment  of  Ethel  and  Dee  to 
the  other  end  of  the  room,  she  put  her  arms 
around  her  cousin's  neck,  and  whispered  in 
awe-struck,  mysterious  tones  : 

"  I  was  thinkin'  of  devil  and  beast." 

Margaret  caught  the  little  creature  in  her 
arms  and  kissed  her  repeatedly,  in  the  midst 
of  such  a  merry  outburst  of  laughter  as  made 
reproof  impossible. 

Amy,  who  seemed  greatly  relieved  to  have 
rid  her  conscience  of  this  burden,  without  any 


Across  the  Chasm.  177 

penance  in  consequence,  ran  off  to  play  with 
the  other  children,  and  Margaret  had  just  cut 
the  leaves  of  a  new  magazine  she  had  brought 
up  with  her  and  begun  to  look  over  the  illus 
trations,  when  she  became  aware  of  a  commo 
tion  among  the  children  at  the  other  end  of 
the  room  and  a  confusion  of  excited  voices. 
Presently  little  Decourcy  came  running  to 
ward  her  in  much  perturbation,  and  said,  with 
a  rising  sob : 

"Auntie  Mard'rit,  is  I  a  bullabulloo?  Amy 
says  I'se  a  bullabulloo.  Now,  is  I  ?  " 

"No,  Dee,"  said  Margaret,  soothingly,  "you 
are  no  such  thing.  Tell  Amy  I  say  you  are 
not." 

Dee  ran  back  to  the  closet,  on  the  floor  of 
which  Amy  was  seated  dressing  her  doll,  and 
Margaret  heard  him  say,  triumphantly  : 

"  Auntie  Mard'rit  says  I'se  not  no  bullabul 
loo." 

Amy,  taking  a  pin  out  of  her  mouth  to  fasten 
the  insufficient  scrap  of  ribbon  which  she  had 

been  straining  around  her  daughter's  clumsy 
12 


178  Across  the  Chasm. 

waist,  looked  up  into  his  face  with  great, 
serious  eyes,  and  said  mysteriously  : 

"  Yes,  Dee,  you  are  a  bullabulloo.  Auntie 
Mard'rit  don't  know  it,  and  you  don't  know  it ; 
but  you  are." 

This  idea  was  so  hopelessly  dreadful  that 
poor  little  Dee  could  control  himself  no 
longer.  He  dropped  his  apronful  of  blocks 
upon  the  floor,  and  burst  into  a  howl  of 
despair. 

Margaret  flew  to  the  rescue,  and,  lifting  him 
in  her  arms,  carried  him  off  to  the  window, 
muttering  soothing  denials  of  his  remotest 
connection  with  bullabulloos.  When  he  was 
in  some  slight  measure  comforted,  Margaret 
called  Amy  to  her  and  rebuked  her  sternly 
for  teasing  her  little  brother.  What  was  her 
amazement  to  see  Amy,  as  soon  as  she  had 
finished,  look  up  at  her  with  the  same  serious 
gaze,  and  say,  gravely : 

"  Auntie  Mard'rit,  he  is  a  bullabulloo.  You 
don't  know  it,  and  Dee  don't  know  it;  but  he 
is." 


Across  the  Chasm.  179 

At  this  poor  Dee  began  to  howl  again,  refus 
ing  to  be  comforted,  until  it  occurred  to  Mar 
garet  to  suggest  that  if  he  was  a  bullabulloo 
Amy  must  be  one,  too,  as  she  was  his  sister. 
This  idea,  once  mastered,  proved  consoling, 
and  Dee  stopped  crying.  Margaret,  to  try  to 
banish  the  remembrance  of  his  trouble,  turned 
him  around  to  the  window  and  called  his  at 
tention  to  the  children  next  door,  who  were 
running  about  the  back  yard  in  the  rain  and 
apparently  enjoying  it  immensely.  Ethel  and 
Amy  had  joined  them  at  the  window,  the  latter 
standing  on  tip-toe  to  look. 

"That's  Jack  and  Cora,"  she  said,  still 
grasping  her  doll  with  one  arm,  while  she  held 
on  to  the  window-ledge  with  the  other.  "  Oh, 
Auntie  Mard'rit,  they're  such  awful  bad  chil 
dren.  They  don't  mind  their  mamma  nor 
nuthin'.  Tou  jes'  ought  to  see  how  bad  they 
are.  I  jes'  expeck  they'll  all  grow  up  to  be 
Yankees." 

Margaret  burst  into  a  peal  of  laughter. 

"  What  makes  you  think  they'll  grow  up  to 


180  Across  the  Chasm. 

be  Yankees,  Amy  ?  "  she  said.  "  Did  anybody 
ever  tell  you  so  ?  " 

"  No,  Auntie  Mard'rit,  but  they're  so  awful 
bad;  and  if  they're  that  bad  when  they're 
little,  I  bet  they  will  grow  up  to  be  Yankees." 

At  this  point  Mrs.  Guion  entered,  and  Mar 
garet  related  the  story  to  her  with  great  zest. 

"  How  do  you  suppose  they  got  hold  of  such 
an  idea?"  she  said. 

"I  can't  imagine,"  said  Mrs.  Guion,  "I'm 
sure  they  never  got  it  from  me.  Alan  will  in 
sist  that  they  did,  as  he  considers  me  a  most 
bigoted  rebel.  But  certainly  I  have  never 
taught  any  such  sentiment  as  that  to  the  chil 
dren.  They  must  simply  have  imbibed  it  with 
the  air  they  have  breathed." 

"  It's  an  excellent  story,"  said  Margaret, 
laughing  over  it  still;  "I  shall  have  no  rest 
until  I  have  told  it  to  Mr.  Gaston." 


CEAPTEK  XH. 

T7VER  since  Mrs.  Gaston  had  called  atten- 
-L^  tion  to  the  fact  that  Alan  Decourcy  had 
a  habit  of  watching  her,  Margaret  had  been 
conscious  that  it  was  really  the  case.  He  al 
ways  listened  attentively  when  she  spoke,  ap 
plauding  by  eloquent  looks  and  smiles  when 
her  sentiments  pleased  him,  and  looking 
annoyed  and  disappointed  when  they  did  not. 
She  could  not  help  seeing  that  he  was  studying 
her  with  a  deliberateness  she  felt  somewhat 
inclined  to  resent. 

It  was  hard  to  cherish  any  feeling  of  resent 
ment  against  him,  however,  during  that  pleas 
ant  week  in  Baltimore,  for  he  was  kindness 
itself,  contributing  in  every  possible  way  to 
her  comfort  and  enjoyment.  Every  night  there 
was  something  pleasant  going  on,  and  Alan 
was  always  at  hand,  to  act  as  escort,  if  no  one 
else  held  the  place.  Margaret  was  delighted 


182  Across  the  Chasm. 

with  Baltimore,  and  when  she  expressed  her 
self  to  this  effect,  Mr.  Decourcy  showed  such 
manifest  approval  of  the  sentiment  that  she 
half  regretted  it  the  next  minute.  She  was 
beginning  to  feel  a  little  disconcerted  by  cer 
tain  signs  she  saw  in  Alan. 

This  young  lady  got  so  much  pleasure  and 
entertainment  out  of  everything,  that  it  often 
surprised  her  to  catch  glimpses  of  a  carefully 
concealed  ennui  in  the  expression  of  her 
cousin's  guarded  countenance. 

"I  should  not  like  to  be  as  thoroughly 
initiated  as  you  are,  Alan,"  she  said  to  him  one 
day.  "You've  seen  and  done  pretty  much 
everything,  I  suppose,  and  nothing  has  any 
particular  zest  for  you  now." 

"  You  audacious  young  fledgeling ! "  ex 
claimed  her  cousin.  "  How  dare  you  make  me 
out  such  a  Uase  old  fellow  ?  How  old  am  I,  do 
you  suppose  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  quite  know." 

"  I  am  just  barely  thirty-three — not  entirely 
superannuated  yet! " 


Across  the  Chasm.  183 

"About  three  years  older  than  Mr.  Gaston ! " 
said  Margaret,  reflectively. 

"  I  can't  understand  the  inflection  of  your 
voice,"  said  Alan,  rather  eagerly ;  "  do  I  seem 
that  much  older  than  he  ?  " 

"I  hardly  know,"  answered  Margaret,  still 
in  the  same  thoughtful  tone.  "  Mr.  Gaston  is 
such  a  busy  man  that  he  bears  the  impress  of 
cares  and  responsibilities,  and  that  makes  him 
seem  older;  but  in  his  feelings  he  seems 
worlds  younger  than  you." 

"And  haven't  I  cares  and  responsibilities  too, 
I'd  like  to  know  !  "Wait  till  I'm  fairly  launched 
in  my  profession,  and  see  how  I  will  peg  away 
at  my  briefs  and  documents." 

"  Oh,  Alan !  "  said  Margaret,  smiling  indul 
gently,  in  a  way  that  irritated  him ;  "  it  is  im 
possible  to  imagine  you  really  at  work.  Have 
you  ever  practised  at  all  ?  " 

"Not  yet.  Circumstances  have  prevented, 
and  I  remained  abroad  much  longer  than  I 
had  any  idea  of  doing ;  but  one  thing  after  an 
other  detained  me.  After  Christmas,  however, 


184  Across  the  Chasm. 

I  am  going  to  open  an  office  and  go  to  work  in 
earnest." 

He  spoke  with  confidence,  but  his  tone  did 
not  impose  upon  his  cousin,  who  in  her  heart 
had  but  small  belief  in  his  work.  The  fact 
was  becoming  more  and  more  evident  to  her, 
that  the  nomadic  life  this  elegant  young  gentle 
man  had  led  had  held  him  back  from  strong 
purposes,  however  much  it  had  advanced  him 
in  social  accomplishments  and  graces. 

"  If  a  man  has  done  nothing,  from  choice,  up 
to  thirty,"  she  said  to  herself,  reflectively, 
"the  chances  are  that,  if  the  power  of  choice 
remains,  he  will  continue  to  do  nothing." 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  are  pleased  with  Balti 
more,  Margaret,"  said  her  cousin,  interrupting 
her  reverie.  "  How  do  you  think  you  should 
like  it  as  a  residence?  " 

"  Oh,  I  should  like  my  home,  wherever  it 
chanced  to  be,"  said  Margaret.  "  It  is  people, 
and  not  places,  that  make  one's  happiness,  I 
think.  I  am  sure  I  could  be  happy  wherever 
my  dear  father  and  mother  were." 


Across  the  Chasm.  185 

"But  -you  cannot  have  them  always.  By- 
and-by  some  one  must  take  their  place." 

"  Yes,"  said  Margaret,  "  I  suppose  so,  but  I 
try  not  to  think  of  that." 

"  Do  you  never  think  of  marriage,  Margaret  ? 
I  suppose  all  young  ladies  must." 

"  Not  often,  as  applied  to  myself,"  she  said. 

"  Don't  you  think  matrimony  desirable  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  know, "  said  Margaret,  a  little 
uneasily.  "  Not  as  we  usually  see  it,  certainly. 
I  suppose  under  the  very  best  conditions  mar 
riage  is  the  happiest  life — but  I  know  nothing 
about  it." 

"  I  am  quite  sure  it  is  the  happiest  life," 
said  Alan,  "  for  both  men  and  women,  and  it  is 
the  greatest  possible  mistake  to  put  it  off  too 
long.  Don't  be  too  fastidious  as  to  conditions, 
Margaret,  and  too  high-flown  in  your  notions. 
Mutual  liking  and  respect,  and  congeniality  of 
tastes  are  a  good  enough  foundation — the  rest 
will  follow.  A  cheerful  disposition  is  an  im 
mense  consideration,  and  that  you  have.  You 
will  always  make  the  best  of  whatever  comes. 


186  Across  the  Chasm. 

I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  a  woman  better  fitted 
for  matrimony." 

He  spoke  so  earnestly  and  looked  at  her 
with  such  intentness,  that  Margaret  felt  her 
self  somewhat  ill  at  ease,  and  was  relieved 
when  the  door  burst  open  and  Decourcy  came 
running  in. 

"  Auntie  Mard'rit,  Ethel  says  you're  not  my 
really  auntie,"  he  said,  wofully  ;  "you  is,  now 
— ain't  you,  Auntie  Mard'rit?" 

"  I  love  you  just  the  same  as  if  I  were,  Dee," 
said  Margaret,  lifting  him  to  her  knee.  "I 
couldn't  be  your  real  auntie,  you  know,  be 
cause  I'm  not  your  mother's  or  your  father's 
sister.  Can  you  understand  that  ?  " 

"But  Mrs.  Gregg  is  Jack  and  Cora's  auntie," 
said  Amy,  who  had  come  to  take  part  in  the 
discussion,  "and  she's  not  their  mamma's 
sister  or  their  papa's  either;  she  only  mar 
ried  their  uncle." 

"  And  if  Margaret  married  your  uncle,  she 
would  be  your  really  auntie,  too,"  said  Alan, 
quietly.  "  She  could  settle  the  whole  matter, 


Across  the  Chasm.  187 


if  she  would,  and  don't  you  think  she  might? 
I  do." 

"  Oh !  Auntie  Mard'rit,  won't  you  please 
marry  uncle  ?  "  cried  Amy,  imploringly,  while 
Dee,  partially  seizing  the  idea,  repeated 
faintly : 

"Auntie  Mard'rit,  peese  marry  uncle." 

"  Bun  away,  children,"  said  Margaret,  pro 
voked  to  feel  herself  blushing.  "Alan,  how 
can  you  put  such  nonsense  into  their  heads  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  it  is  but  too  true  that  you  con 
sider  it  nonsense,"  he  said,  with  a  gravity  that 
surprised  her.  Immediately  afterward  he  left 
the  room,  and  Margaret  found  herself  alone 
with  the  children,  who  insisted  on  pushing 
the  question  to  its  remotest  issue  with  a  per 
sistency  that  was  almost  distracting. 

After  this  it  was  impossible  but  that  she 
should  realize  that  her  cousin  was  studying 
her  with  a  purpose.  She  could  hardly  suppose 
that  he  thought  seriously  of  asking  her  to 
marry  him,  and  yet  the  interest  he  displayed 
in  trying  to  direct  her  opinions  pointed  that 


188  Across  the  Chasm. 

way.  She  made  a  strong  effort  to  shake  off 
the  idea.  Its  deliberateness  shocked  her. 
Charming  as  her  cousin  was,  his  calm  philo- 
sophicalness  often  irritated  her,  and  she  was 
at  times  inclined  to  believe  him  cold-blooded 
and  selfish,  until  perhaps,  just  afterward,  some 
act  of  kindness  to  herself  or  his  sister  or  the 
children  made  her  heartily  ashamed  of  this 
suspicion.  And,  indeed,  it  was  an  easy  thing 
to  judge  Alan  Decourcy  kindly.  So  he  kept 
his  place  as  a  trusty  and  beloved  kinsman. 

Shortly  before  the  end  of  Margaret's  allotted 
week  in  Baltimore,  Mrs.  Gaston  forwarded  to 
her  an  invitation  to  a  large  party  to  be  given 
by  some  people  who  happened  to  be  friends  of 
Alan  Decourcy  also,  and  insisted  that  both 
of  them  should  come  over  in  time  for  the  en 
tertainment.  Margaret's  week  would  be  out, 
she  said,  and  no  extension  of  leave  would  be 
granted.  So  she  was  to  come  without  fail,  and 
to  bring  Mr.  Decourcy  with  her.  Alan  readily 
acquiesced  in  the  arrangement,  and  at  the 
proper  time  they  set  forth  together. 


Across  ike  Chasm.  189 

Margaret  was  feeling  particularly  well-dis 
posed  toward  her  cousin  tliat  afternoon,  as 
they  steamed  along  in  the  express  train  to 
gether.  She  had  the  recollection  of  a  host  of 
kind  acts  toward  herself  stored  away  in  her 
mind,  and  it  seemed  to  come  almost  more 
naturally  than  usual  to  her  to  like  this  pleas 
ant,  considerate,  affectionate  cousin. 

When  they  had  reached  Washington,  and 
were  driving  swiftly  along  the  smooth  asphalt 
pavements  in  Cousin  Eugenia's  snug  coupe, 
Margaret  said,  cordially : 

"  You've  done  everything  to  make  my  visit  a 
happy  one,  Alan !  I  do  thank  you  so  much." 

"  It  has  been  a  happy  time  to  me,"  he  said ; 
"  so  happy  !  How  capitally  we  get  on  to 
gether,  Daisy — don't  we  ?  " 

"It  always  makes  me  think  of  dear  papa 
to  hear  you  call  me  Daisy,"  answered  the  girl, 
instinctively  avoiding  a  direct  answer  to  his 
appeal.  "  I  had  forgotten  that  you  called 
me  so." 

"  I  have  adopted  it  intentionally,"  he  said. 


190  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Margaret  seems  cold,  and  I  want  to  get  rid  of 
the  sense  of  distance  between  us  which  our 
long  separation  has  engendered,  for  who  knows 
but  by-and-by  what  you  are  pleased  to  call 
nonsense  now  may  come  to  look  differently,  as 
use  familiarizes  it?  Don't  turn  upon  me  in 
that  sudden  way,  dear.  I  wouldn't  startle  you 
for  the  world.  I  only  want  you  to  promise  to 
think  of  me  often,  until  after  a  while  I  come  to 
see  you  down  in  Bassett,  and  we  can  talk 
things  over  quietly  and  calmly." 

"  I  shall  always  think  of  you  as  a  kind  and 
dear  cousin,"  answered  Margaret. 

"But  I  cannot  promise  I  shall  always  be 
content  with  that,"  he  said,  bending  toward 
her,  with  a  motion  of  great  gentleness,  and 
softly  laying  his  gloved  hand  over  hers.  "  My 
sweet  Margaret,"  he  murmured ;  "  my  strong 
hope  is,  that  some  day  I  can  teach  you  to  think 
of  me  as  I  would  have  you.  And,  meantime,  I 
can  wait." 

Margaret  made  an  effort  to  withdraw  her 
hand,  but  he  held  it  in  a  close,  detaining  clasp, 


Across  the  Chasm.  191 


and,  looking  up,  she  met  his  eyes  fixed  on  her, 
with  a  gaze  so  sweet  and  tender,  that  it  some 
how  seemed  to  soothe,  while  it  agitated  her. 
Once  more  she  attempted  to  withdraw  her 
hand,  and  this  time  he  released  it,  but  before 
doing  so  he  raised  it  to  his  lips  and  kissed  it. 

Margaret  felt  deeply  disturbed.  It  was 
something  very  new  to  her  to  see  this  phase  in 
her  cousin's  relationship  toward  her,  and  the 
very  fact  that  she  felt  in  her  heart  no  response 
to  these  signs  of  tenderness,  distressed  her. 
She  knew  the  time  must  come  when  she  would 
have  to  deny  and  thwart  him,  and  the  idea 
gave  her  pain.  If  she  had  hitherto  doubted 
that  he  really  loved  her,  she  doubted  it  no 
longer.  That  look  of  his,  as  he  lifted  her  hand 
to  kiss  it,  made  doubt  impossible.  It  was  no 
cool,  cousinly  affection;  it  was  a  passionate 
emotion  that  looked  out  from  his  eyes. 

She  felt  relieved  when  the  carriage  stopped 
at  General  Gaston's  door,  and  Alan,  after  hand 
ing  her  out,  took  leave,  to  be  driven  to  his 
hotel  to  dine  and  dress.  The  remembrance  of 


192  Across  the  Chasm. 

that  look  of  his  would  not  be  shaken  off,  how 
ever,  and  she  appeared  before  Mrs.  Gaston  in 
a  somewhat  pensive  mood. 

Cousin  Eugenia  was  delighted  to  see  her, 
and  declared  she  had  missed  her  unendurably. 
She  informed  her,  hurriedly,  that  they  were  all 
well,  and  that  Louis  was  in  New  York,  having 
been  there  ever  since  the  day  after  her  own 
departure  for  Baltimore ;  and  then  they  fell  to 
discussing  Margaret's  costume  for  the  party. 

"  My  white  silk  is  all  ready,"  said  Margaret, 
somewhat  listlessly.  "  I  have  not  worn  it  yet, 
you  know.  It  is  high,  and  perhaps  better 
suited  to  a  dinner,  but  I  like  it,  and  suppose  it 
will  do." 

"  That  splendid  old  lace  would  make  it  ele 
gant  enough  for  any  occasion,"  said  Mrs.  Gas- 
ton  ;  "  and  as  to  the  high  neck,  somehow  that 
style  suits  you,  in  spite  of  the  eminent  pre- 
sentability  of  your  neck  and  arms.  But  go 
now  to  your  room  and  take  a  good  nap.  Eing 
for  a  cup  of  tea  when  you  get  up.  I  want  you 
to  look  very  fresh  to-night." 


Across  the  Chasm.  193 

When  Margaret  entered  her  apartment,  she 
caught  sight  of  a  letter  on  her  dressing-table, 
and  immediately  her  brows  contracted.  She 
knew  the  hand.  It  was  from  Charley  Somers, 
and,  to  tell  the  truth,  this  young  gentleman 
was  somewhat  in  disgrace.  He  had  some 
friends  in  Washington,  and,  a  short  time  back, 
he  had  written  to  Margaret  to  ask  her  to 
allow  him  to  come  on  and  see  her,  with  the 
ostensible  purpose  of  visiting  these  Mends. 
Margaret  had  written  at  once,  and  distinctly 
forbidden  him  to  come.  The  mere  suggestion 
made  her  indignant.  It  had  the  air  of  assert 
ing  a  claim  when  no  shadow  of  such  existed. 
She  supposed  she  had  finally  settled  the  mat 
ter',  and  what  had  he  to  say  in  this  letter  ?  She 
tore  it  open  hastily  and  ran  her  eyes  down  the 
length  of  its  pages ;  when  she  reached  the  end 
she  threw  it  from  her,  with  a  motion  of  angry 
indignation.  Mr.  Somers  wrote  to  say  that 
the  tone  of  her  letter  had  made  him  feel  so  un 
easy  that,  even  at  the  risk  of  incurring  her  dis 
pleasure,  he  was  coming  on  to  Washington. 
13 


194  Across  the  Chasm. 

Margaret  hastily  pulled  out  lier  watch.  There 
was  yet  time  to  catch  the  Southern  mail.  She 
threw  off  her  hat  and  wraps,  and  sitting  down 
at  her  desk  scratched  off  a  few  hurried  lines, 
saying  to  Mr.  Somers,  that  he  might  come  to 
Washington  or  not,  exactly  as  it  suited  his 
pleasure,  but  forbidding  him,  in  plain  terms,  to 
call  upon  her  in  the  event  of  his  doing  so. 
Without  pausing  to  read  it  over,  she  addressed 
and  sealed  the  letter,  and  rang  for  a  servant  to 
post  it. 


CHAPTEK  XIIL 

"IT  T  MEN  Miss  Trevennon,  dressed  for  the 
**  ball,  descended  to  join  her  cousin  that 
memorable  December  evening,  she  looked  un 
deniably  lovely,  and  so  Mrs.  Gaston  admitted 
to  herself  with  supreme  satisfaction.  The 
young  girl's  tall  beauty  was  superbly  dis 
played  by  this  rather  severe  costume — with 
its  heavy,  gleaming  drapery  falling  about  her, 
white  and  plain.  The  flounces  of  rich  lace 
made  a  splendid  trimming  for  the  long  skirt, 
which  trailed  behind  her  in  a  graceful,  shim 
mering  mass,  and  the  pointed  body  outlined  to 
perfection  her  round  and  pliant  waist.  The 
dress  was  cut  high,  and  a  fall  of  the  lovely 
lace  finished  the  throat  and  sleeves. 

Miss  Trevennon's  clear-cut,  soft-tinted  face 
was  somewhat  inanimate  this  evening.  The 
ball  had  lost  much  of  its  charm  since  she  had 

contemplated  the   prospect  in   the   morning. 
13 


196  Across  the  Chasm. 

In  the  first  place,  the  possibility  of  Charley 
Somers  coming  to  Washington  troubled  her, 
and,  in  the  second,  Alan  Decourcy's  words  and 
looks,  with  a  chance  of  their  repetition  this 
evening,  made  her  uneasy.  Besides  these, 
there  was  a  feeling  of  disappointment,  all  the 
keener  for  being  unowned,  even  to  herself,  that 
Louis  Gaston  should  not  be  here  to  welcome 
her  back,  and  to  share  the  interest  and  pride 
Cousin  Eugenia  so  evidently  took  in  her  ap 
pearance  at  this  ball. 

Arrived  at  their  destination,  Mrs.  Gaston 
and  Margaret,  escorted  by  General  Gaston, 
were  passing  through  the  main  hall  on  their 
way  to  the  dressing-rooms,  when  they  came 
upon  Alan  Decourcy,  with  a  sumptuously  ap 
parelled  lady  on  his  arm.  She  was  a  decidedly 
pretty  woman,  and  Margaret  observed  that  she 
clung  to  her  companion  with  an  air  of  the 
friendliest  familiarity.  She  also  observed  that 
her  pink  gauze  costume  was  somewhat  decollete, 
and  that  a  strap  of  black  velvet  stood  in  lieu 
of  a  sleeve  across  her  white  shoulder,  a  similar 


Across  the  Chasm.  197 

bit  supporting  a  superb  pendant  of  diamonds, 
which  ornamented  her  fair,  round  throat. 

This  lady  bowed  affably  to  Mrs.  Gaston,  and 
regarded  Margaret  with  a  broad  stare.  Alan, 
of  course,  spoke  also,  but  for  some  reason 
Margaret  avoided  doing  more  than  just  glanc 
ing  at  him  as  she  passed  on  toward  the  stair 
case. 

"  And  so  Mrs.  Yere  already  has  your  cousin 
in  her  toils !  "  said  Mrs.  Gaston,  as  they  were 
approaching  the  dressing-room. 

"Was  that  Mrs.  Vere?"  said  Margaret. 
"Who  is  she?" 

"Oh,  she's  one  of  the  most  noted  of  the 
married  belles!"  said  Mrs.  Gaston.  "If  Mr. 
Decourcy  were  not  a  man  of  the  world  and 
well  able  to  take  care  of  himself,  it  might  be 
well  for  you  to  warn  him.  As  it  is,  I  feel  no 
anxiety  about  him." 

"  And  who  is  Mr.  Vere  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Vere's  husband.  He  may  or  may  not 
be  here.  He's  apt  to  turn  up  in  the  supper- 
room." 


198  Across  the  Chasm. 

Margaret  said  no  more,  but  set  herself  to 
the  adjustment  of  her  toilet  with  a  certain  air 
of  preoccupation.  Having  ascertained  by  a 
glance  that  her  costume  was  in  order,  she 
stood  looking  very  thoughtful  as  she  waited 
for  her  cousin,  whose  touches  here  and  there 
consumed  a  much  longer  time. 

When  the  two  ladies  emerged  from  the 
dressing-room  together,  they  found  Alan  De- 
courcy,  with  General  Gaston,  awaiting  them. 
He  had  freed  himself  from  Mrs.  Vere,  in  some 
way,  and  offered  his  arm  to  take  Margaret  into 
the  room.  She  laid  her  hand  within  it  lightly, 
and  they  followed  General  and  Mrs.  Gaston  in 
silence. 

After  they  had  spoken  to  their  hostess  and 
her  daughters,  Decourcy  led  Miss  Trevennon 
away  to  make  the  tour  of  the  rooms,  which 
were  ablaze  with  lights  and  flowers,  and  gor 
geous  to  behold. 

"  There's  something  very  distinguished 
about  this  dress  you  are  wearing,  Margaret," 
he  said,  in  a  tone  that  was  caressingly  sweet, 


Across  the  Chasm.  199 

"  or  is  it,  perhaps,  my  cousin's  lovely  face  and 
figure  that  make  it  appear  so  ?  You  are  look 
ing  your  very  best,  yet  I  never  saw  you  so 
devoid  of  color." 

"It's  the  contrast  with  Mrs.Yere's  gorgeous- 
ness,  perhaps!"  said  Margaret,  with  a  rather 
strained  little  laugh.  "  When  did  you  meet 
Mrs.  Yere,  by-the-way?  " 

He  turned  suddenly,  and  looked  at  her  with 
a  glance  of  keen  scrutiny,  but,  seeing  the  utter 
unsuspiciousness  of  her  frank  gaze,  he  said 
carelessly : 

"  Mrs.  Yere  ?  Oh,  she's  a  very  old  friend ! 
I  hardly  remember  the  time  when  I  didn't 
know  Antoinette  Yere." 

"Did  you  know  of  her  being  in  Wash 
ington  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  I  saw  her  when  I  was  in 
town,  the  other  day.  She  lives  here." 

"Why,  I  wonder  you  did  not  tell  me  you 
had  this  great  friend  living  here,  and  make 
her  come  to  see  me ! "  said  Margaret,  in  her 
honest  way. 


200  Across  the  Chasm. 

"I  didn't  think  of  it,"  he  said,  somewhat 
constrainedly.  "  I  didn't  suppose  you'd  care 
for  it." 

He  turned,  then,  and  called  her  attention  to 
some  especially  pretty  bit  of  decoration,  and 
Mrs.  Vere  was  not  mentioned  again. 

In  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Leary  came  up  to 
speak  to  Miss  Trevennon,  and,  soon  after,  one 
or  two  other  acquaintances  appeared,  and 
Margaret  was  importuned  for  dances. 

"I  shall  not  dance  this  evening,"  she  said, 
forming  the  resolution  suddenly.  She  had  not 
thought  of  the  matter  before,  but  when  the 
time  came  she  found  herself  indisposed  to 
dance.  There  were  strong  protests  from  the 
young  gentlemen,  but  these  her  decided  man 
ner  soon  silenced,  and  when  Mr.  Leary  offered 
his  arm,  to  take  her  to  look  for  a  seat,  she 
looked  around  for  Decourcy  and  found  that  he 
was  gone. 

For  a  long  while  after  this,  she  had  not  time 
to  think  of  her  cousin.  Scores  of  people  were 
presented  to  her,  by  Mrs.  Gaston  and  others, 


Across  the  Chasm.  201 

and  the  General  whispered  to  her  that  his 
popularity  with  the  young  gentlemen  this 
evening  was  something  phenomenal.  She 
went  into  the  drawing-room  and  looked  on  for 
a  while,  and  though  she  kept  to  her  resolution 
she  might  have  had  two  partners  for  every 
dance,  if  she  had  chosen.  Most  of  the  men 
whom  she  declined  to  dance  with  manifested 
an  entire  willingness  to  stop  and  talk  instead, 
and  throughout  the  evening  she  was  so  well 
attended,  that  Cousin  Eugenia,  who  had  heard 
with  quaking  of  her  resolution  not  to  dance, 
admitted  to  herself,  in  the  end,  that  it  had 
given  her  young  cousin  a  more  distinguished 
appearance. 

When  the  evening  was  growing  old,  and  the 
flowers  began  to  droop  and  the  music  to  flag  ; 
when  the  girls  began  to  look  the  worse  for  too 
much  dancing,  and  the  men,  in  many  cases,  the 
worse  for  too  much  wine,  Miss  Trevennon,  find 
ing  herself  a  little  weary,  yielded  to  the  sug 
gestion  of  her  companion  for  the  moment,  who 
happened  to  be  Lord  Waring,  and  allowed  her- 


202  Across  the  Chasm. 

self  to  be  led  to  a  cool,  dim  recess  in  the  con 
servatory,  where  she  sank  into  a  seat  to  wait, 
while  Lord  Waring  went  for  a  glass  of  water  for 
her.  It  was  very  still  and  quiet  here.  Almost 
every  one  was  occupied  either  in  the  supper- 
room  or  in  dancing,  and  Margaret  supposed 
herself  to  be  quite  alone,  until  the  sound  of 
low-toned  voices  arrested  her  attention.  Turn 
ing,  she  caught  sight,  between  the  branches  of 
some  densely  leaved  palms,  of  the  figures  of  a 
man  and  woman.  The  latter's  back  was  turned, 
but  Margaret  recognized  the  pink  costume 
and  smooth,  bare  shoulders.  The  head  was 
raised  to  meet  the  ardent  gaze  of  the  man 
who  bent  above  her.  This  man's  face  was 
turned  full  toward  Margaret,  and  she,  too, 
could  see  that  gaze — a  tender,  fervid  look  that, 
but  a  few  hours  since,  had  been  bent  upon  her 
self.  Instinctively  she  closed  her  eyes,  afraid  to 
look  longer,  and  feeling  a  quick  pang  of  horror 
as  she  remembered  that  so  recently  this  man 
had  kissed  her  hand.  Thank  Heaven  he  had 
never,  for  one  instant,  touched  her  heart — that 


Across  the  Chasm.  203 

she  cared  not  an  atom  for  him !  But  suppose 
it  had  been  different !  Suppose  the  tenderness 
he  had  so  successfully  counterfeited,  the  sig 
nificant  words  she  had  so  implicitly  believed, 
had  awakened  an  answering  tenderness  in  her 
heart ! 

As  these  hurried  thoughts  rushed  through 
her  mind,  she  rose  to  her  feet,  confused  and 
agitated.  Again  her  troubled  gaze  rested  for 
one  instant  upon  another  vision  of  those  two 
figures  through  the  vista  of  flowers  and  leaves, 
but  it  was  for  an  instant  only,  for  she  felt  a 
swift  instinct  of  flight,  and  forgetting  Lord 
Waring  and  the  fact  that  he  would  expect 
to  find  her  where  he  had  left  her,  she  fled 
from  the  conservatory  and  entered  the  room 
beyond.  Bewildered,  agitated,  weak,  uncer 
tain,  she  looked  about  her  with  a  troubled 
gaze,  and  met  the  steadfast  eyes  of  Louis 
Gaston. 

With  a  look  of  joyful  relief  she  hastened  to 
ward  him  and  placed  her  hand,  with  a  confid 
ing  motion,  within  the  arm  he  extended.  His 


204  Across  the  Chasm. 

calm  and  self-collected  aspect,  the  firm  sup 
port  of  his  strong  arm,  the  repose  of  his  quiet 
manner,  the  freshness  of  his  evening  toilet, 
recently  made,  which  contrasted  so  pleasantly 
with  the  somewhat  dishevelled  and  flushed  ap 
pearance  of  many  of  the  men  at  this  late  hour, 
all  these  were  so  restful  and  reassuring  that 
Margaret  drew  a  long  breath  of  contentment 
to  find  herself  so  safe. 

"Where  did  you  come  from?"  she  said. 
"  You  were  the  very  last  person  I  expected  to 
see." 

"  I  returned  from  New  York  by  the  evening 
train,  and,  late  as  it  was,  I  concluded  to  dress 
and  come  to  the  ball.  I  have  seen  my  hostess, 
who  has  kindly  forgiven  my  tardiness,  and  my 
next  thought  was  to  find  you.  I  was  in  the  act 
of  seeking  you  in  the  supper-room  when  you 
unexpectedly  appeared  before  me,  solitary  and 
alone." 

"  I  was  so  glad  to  see  you,"  she  said,  with 
the  unconscious  simplicity  a  child  might  have 
shown. 


Across  the  Chasm.  205 

He  took  her  words  as  naturally  as  they  were 
uttered,  and  said  simply : 

"  How  did  you  happen  to  be  alone  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Lord  Waring  was  with  me,"  she  said, 
suddenly,  remembering  her  errant  knight. 
"  He  went  to  get  me  some  water.  I  wonder 
where  he  is." 

At  this  moment  Lord  Waring  appeared  at 
the  door  of  the  conservatory,  glass  in  hand. 

Margaret  hurriedly  made  her  apologies,  ex 
plaining  her  haying  caught  sight  of  Mr.  Gas- 
ton  unexpectedly,  his  recent  return  from  New 
York,  etc. 

His  lordship  accepted  her  explanation  in 
good  part,  and  when  Margaret  had  drunk  the 
water  rather  eagerly  he  went  off  to  return  the 
glass,  saying  he  would  see  her  again. 

He  had  scarcely  disappeared  when  Gaston 
and  Margaret,  going  out  into  the  hall,  saw  Mrs. 
Vere  and  Alan  Decourcy  coming  toward  them. 

Gaston  suddenly  stood  still,  detaining  his 
companion  by  a  slight  pressure  of  the  arm,  and 
said,  hurriedly : 


206  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  It  is  just  possible  that  Mrs.  Vere  may  ask 
you  to  join  a  theatre-party  she  is  getting  up 
for  to-morrow  evening.  Forgive  me  if  I  take 
the  liberty  of  suggesting  that  you  shall  decline 
if  she  should  do  so.  Make  an  engagement  to 
go  with  me  instead,  and  just  excuse  yourself 
on  the  plea  of  a  previous  engagement.  I  hope 
you  will  pardon  my  venturing  to  advise  you." 

"Certainly,"  said  Margaret;  "but  she  will 
not  ask  me.  I  do  not  know  her." 

Mrs.  Vere,  however,  was  coming  straight  to 
ward  them,  and  she  now  stopped  in  front  of 
them,  and  giving  Louis  a  tap  with  her  fan, 
said: 

"Present  me  to  Miss  Trevennon,"  and  when 
Gaston  had  complied,  she  went  on  in  a  rather 
boisterous  tone : 

"I've  been  teasing  your  cousin  to  present 
me  to  you  all  the  evening,  Miss  Trevennon; 
but  I  suppose  he  wanted  the  monopoly  of  you, 
for  he  would  not  even  bring  me  into  your 
neighborhood." 

"It   may  have   been  that  he   wanted  the 


Across  the  Chasm.  207 

monopoly  of  yourself,"  said  Gaston,  looking  at 
her  keenly  and  speaking  in  his  quietest  tones. 

"Well,  it's  more  than  you'll  ever  want, 
then ! "  said  Mrs.  Yere,  pertly ;  "  so  you  can 
just  keep  yourself  out  of  the  matter." 

"I  have  every  intention  of  doing  so,  mad 
am,"  said  Gaston,  gravely.  "I  know  my 
place,  and  I  value  my  peace  of  mind. " 

Mrs.  Yere  flashed  a  quick,  vindictive  glance 
at  him,  as  he  uttered  these  quiet  words,  and 
then  turning  to  Margaret,  she  said : 

"  I  want  to  ask  you  to  join  a  little  theatre- 
party  I  am  giving  to-morrow  evening,  Miss 
Trevennon.  There  will  be  eight  of  us,  and  we 
are  going  to  see  As  You  Like  It,  and  have  a 
little  supper  at  my  house  afterward.  Now 
don't  say  you  have  any  other  engagement." 

"  Unfortunately  I  must,"  said  Margaret,  con 
scious  of  the  insincerity  of  the  qualifying  term, 
and  yet  too  grateful  to  Louis  for  preparing 
her  for  this  contingency  to  feel  very  contrite 
on  account  of  it.  "I  have  already  pledged 
myself  elsewhere." 


208  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  How  tiresome !  "  said  Mrs.  Vere,  darting  a 
suspicious  glance  at  Louis,  which  he  met  with 
imperturbable  gravity.  "  By-the-way,  I  called 
on  you  while  you  were  in  Baltimore.  I  sup 
pose  you  got  my  card." 

And,  without  waiting  for  an  answer,  she 
moved  away,  on  Decourcy's  arm,  saying,  as  if 
half  involuntarily : 

"  I  detest  that  man." 

Decourcy,  who  was  looking  somewhat  pre 
occupied,  made  no  answer,  until  she  gave  his 
arm  a  little  jerk  and  said,  with  the  petulance 
of  a  child : 

"  What's  the  matter  with  you  ?  Why  don't 
you  speak  ?  " 

"  What  can  I  say,  except  that  I  feel  deeply 
sorry  for  poor  Gaston,  and  appropriately 
grateful  that  I  do  not  happen  to  be  in  his 
place." 

He  spoke  in  his  softest  tones,  but  Mrs.  Vere 
knew  instinctively  that  her  spell  was,  for  the 
time  being,  broken.  Well !  it  had  been  broken 
before,  she  reflected,  and  she  had  always  sue- 


Across  the  Chasm.  209 

ceeded  in  mending  it,  and  she  felt  confident 
she  could  do  so  again. 

Meantime,  as  Margaret  and  Louis  walked 
away,  to  look  for  Mrs.  Gaston,  the  former  said : 

"  Was  it  not  rather  odd  that  Mrs.  Vere  didn't 
ask  you  to  join  her  party  ?  " 

"  She  did,"  said  Louis.  "  She  wrote  me  a  note, 
which  was  forwarded  to  me  in  New  York." 

"  And  what  did  you  do  ?  "  asked  Margaret. 

"Excused  myself  on  the  score  of  another 
engagement." 

"But  you  didn't •"  she  began,  and  then 

stopped  with  uplifted  eyebrows. 

"I  know,"  he  answered,  smiling;  "but  I 
foresaw  at  least  the  possibility  that  you  would 
be  propitious." 

"I  think  she's  angry  with  you  about  it." 

"Very  likely.  She's  been  angry  with  me 
before." 

"  I  didn't  know,  until  to-night,  that  she  was 
an  old  friend  of  Alan's,"  said  Margaret. 

"Oh  yes,"  he  answered,  indifferently;  "it's 

an  affair  of  long  standing,  I  hear." 
14 


210  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  said  Margaret,  fac 
ing  him  with  a  sudden  surprise,  and  then,  re 
membering  the  scene  she  had  witnessed  in  the 
conservatory,  she  averted  her  eyes,  and  was 
silent. 

"  I  merely  meant,"  he  answered,  in  a  tone  of 
quick  regret,  "  that  I  happened  to  hear  Waring 
say  that  they  were  friends  in  London,  last  year. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vere  spent  the  season  there,  and 
your  cousin  happening  to  be  there  also,  natu 
rally  saw  them  often — all  being  Americans  to 
gether." 

At  this  point  they  caught  sight  of  Mrs.  Gas- 
ton,  and  Margaret  hastened  to  join  her,  and  so 
the  subject  was  very  willingly  dropped  by 
them  both. 

Cousin  Eugenia  declared  and  reiterated 
that  Margaret  had  been  a  shining  success  at 
this  ball,  but  of  that  the  girl  thought  and  cared 
little.  But  for  many  days  to  come,  the  recur 
ring  thoughts  of  that  evening  brought  with 
them  certain  memories  that  rankled,  as  well  as 
certain  others  that  comforted  and  soothed. 


CHAPTEK  XIV. 

((  A  ND  so  Mrs.  Vere  wanted  you  in  her 
-LL  theatre-party  ! "  said  Cousin  Eugenia  to 
Margaret,  the  next  morning,  as  they  were  driv 
ing  about  in  a  flutter  of  preparation  for  Christ 
mas.  Margaret  had  sent  off  a  charming  box 
home,  and  she  was  now  assisting  Mrs.  Gaston 
in  the  completion  of  her  various  Christmas 
schemes. 

"Yes,"  she  answered  quietly,  "and  I  de 
clined." 

"  Louis  told  me  about  it.  It's  just  as  well 
you  got  out  of  it.  He  was  afraid  he  had  vent 
ured  too  far  in  advising  you.  He  said  he 
felt  he  had  no  sort  of  right  to  do  it,  and 
that,  in  most  cases,  he  should  have  held  his 
peace ;  but  he  couldn't  bear  to  think  of  you 
in  the  midst  of  Mrs.  Vere's  set,  and  he  found 
the  impulse  to  prevent  it  too  strong  to  be  re 
sisted." 


212  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  He  was  quite  right,"  said  Margaret,  feeling 
a  little  throb  of  pleasure  in  the  considerate  in 
terest  implied  in  what  Mr.  Gaston  had  said. 
"  I  should  not  have  wanted  to  go,  in  any  case, 
but  I  might  not  have  known  how  to  avoid  it, 
and  he  gave  me  the  means.  I  felt  very  thank 
ful  to  him.  But  what  is  it  that  makes  both 
you  and  Mr.  Gaston  distrust  Mrs.  Vere  ?  " 

Cousin  Eugenia  gave  a  little  shrug. 

"  Mrs.  Vere  is  extremely  pretty,"  she  said, 
"  and  of  course  she  has  admirers.  She  is  cer 
tainly  very  free  in  her  ways  with  them,  but  I 
know  no  more  than  that,  and  I  certainly  don't 
care  to  know  more.  I  asked  Louis  why  he  ob 
jected  to  your  going  with  her,  and  he  said,  with 
that  frown  of  his,  that  you  could  not  possibly 
find  any  pleasure  in  her  acquaintance.  He 
would  say  nothing  more,  but  I  felt  sure,  by  the 
way  he  looked,  that  there  was  a  good  deal  kept 
back." 

"I  wonder  at  Alan  Decourcy,"  said  Mar 
garet. 

"Do  you?"  said  Mrs.  Gaston.     "I  don't. 


Across  the  Chasm.  213 

I  have  long  since  ceased  to  wonder  at  any 
man's  admiring  any  woman." 

"  But  how  can  he  ?     He  is  so  fastidious." 

"  Perhaps  I  used  the  wrong  word,"  said 
Mrs.  Gaston ;  "to  admire  a  woman  is  one 
thing  and  to  find  her  amusing  is  another.  I 
fancy  Mr.  Decourcy  finds  Mrs.  Vere  amusing 
— most  men  do,  indeed — and  your  cousin  is 
the  sort  of  man  with  whom  that  is  paramount. 
With  men  of  a  certain  type  the  woman  who 
can  furnish  them  most  amusement  will  ever 
have  the  strongest  hold  upon  them,  and  to 
that  type  I  rather  think  your  fascinating 
cousin  belongs.  As  I  said,  most  men  find 
Mrs.  Vere  amusing,  and  as  her  husband  does 
not  look  after  her  at  all,  the  coast  is  clear  for 
them  to  come  and  be  amused ;  and  they  come." 

"  I  don't  think  Mr.  Gaston  finds  her  amus 
ing,"  said  Margaret. 

"  Louis !  I  should  think  not ! "  said  Mrs. 
Gaston,  warmly.  "  My  dear,  you  don't  know 
Louis  yet — perhaps  you  never  will.  Very  few 
people  besides  Edward  and  I  know  what  that 


214  Across  the  Chasm. 

boy  is.  I  know  him,  through  and  through, 
and  I  unhesitatingly  declare  that  he's  an 
angel.  I  believe  he's  of  a  different  grain  from 
other  men.  Mrs.  Vere  could  no  more  ensnare 
him  than  she  could  put  shackles  on  a  mist- 
cloud  ;  and  for  that  reason — because  she  knows 
her  usual  darts  are  powerless  with  him — she 
is  feverishly  anxious  to  get  him  in  her  toils. 
I'll  do  her  the  justice  to  say  her  efforts  have 
been  masterly.  She's  left  no  stone  unturned. 
She's  tried  the  musical  dodge,  and  invited  him 
to  warble  duets  with  her.  That  must  have 
been  a  temptation,  for  you  know  how  he  loves 
music,  and  her  voice  is  charming.  She's  tried 
the  charity  dodge,  and  has  come  to  him  with 
tears  in  her  eyes  to  get  him  to  make  plans  for 
cottages  she  proposed  to  erect  for  poor  people 
on  her  estate  in  the  outer  antipodes.  He  told 
me  about  that  himself,  and  what  do  you  sup 
pose  was  his  answer  to  her  appeal  ?  He  told 
her  that  when  she  had  made  arrangements 
with  the  builder  to  go  to  work,  to  tell  the  lat 
ter  to  write  to  him  on  the  subject  and  he  would 


Across  tjie  Chasm.  215 

gladly  furnish  the  plans  for  her  cottages  and 
feel  himself  honored  in  advancing  her  good 
work — begged  her  not  to  mention  the  question 
of  payment,  and  bowed  her  out  of  his  office 
with  the  assurance  that  the  builder's  letter 
should  find  him  most  willing  to  co-operate, 
and  insisted  that  she  should  wash  her  fair 
hands  of  these  dry  business  details  and  leave 
them  entirely  to  the  builder  and  himself.  She 
plucked  up  courage  on  the  landing,  to  tell  him 
she  had  some  plans  to  submit.  He  replied  to 
this  that,  as  he  had  long  since  submitted  him 
self  and  all  his  designs  and  aspirations  to  his 
partner,  and  as  he  did  not  venture  to  call  his 
soul,  much  less  his  squares  and  angles,  his 
own,  without  the  approbation  of  Mr.  Ames, 
her  plans  must  be  submitted  to  the  firm  at 
New  York,  where  he  would  promise  to  give 
them  his  circumspect  attention  under  the 
judicious  eye  of  his  chief.  It  must  have  been 
a  funny  scene,"  said  Cousin  Eugenia,  smiling. 
"  Poor  Mrs.  Vere !  She  let  him  alone  severely 
for  some  time  after  that,  but  she  finally  began 


216  Across  the  Chasm. 

again  on  another  tack.  I  think  she  is  begin 
ning  to  understand  now  that  there  is  one  man 
who  can  resist  her,  and  when  once  she  is  quite 
persuaded  that  she  is  vanquished,  how  she 
will  hate  him  !  There's  nothing  she  wouldn't 
do  to  avenge  herself ;  but  I  fancy  Louis  is  as 
far  beyond  the  range  of  her  revenge  as  he  is  of 
her  fascination.  The  truth  is,  as  to  Louis," 
Cousin  Eugenia  went  on,  after  a  moment's 
pause,  "  that  he's  radically  cold-blooded.  He's 
affectionate  to  his  friends  and  relatives,  and 
really  fond  of  many  of  them,  but  he's  abso 
lutely  unemotional — not  to  be  roused  to  deep 
feeling.  But  for  this  fact  I  fear  Mrs.  Vere's 
efforts  would  have  been  long  since  crowned 
with  success.  It  is  really  a  valuable  trait  for 
a  man  to  have,  if  it  were  only  for  its  unique 
ness,  but  occasionally  it's  a  little  bit  exasperat 
ing.  Who  but  Louis,  for  instance,  would  have 
lived  all  these  weeks  in  the  same  house  with  a 
charming  girl  like  you  without  falling,  at  least 
a  little,  in  love  with  her?  For  you  are  a 
charming  girl,  my  dear,  and  Louis  accurately 


Across  the  Chasm.  217 

appreciates  the  fact;  but  there  it  ends.  At 
first  I  thought  I  saw  signs  of  a  speedy  capitu 
lation,  but  it  came  to  nothing.  I  ought  to  have 
known  the  frogginess  of  my  brother-in-law 
better.  I  should  have  liked  Louis  to  fall  in 
love  with  you,  no  matter  how  it  ended.  It 
would  have  been  nice  to  have  you  for  a  sister 
and  neighbor,  and  if  that  was  not  to  be,  it 
would  have  been  a  satisfaction  to  see  Louis 
stirred  out  of  his  eternal  calm,  and  concerning 
himself  about  something  over  and  above  de 
signs  and  estimates.  But  I  am  afraid  I  am 
never  to  have  the  supreme  delight  of  seeing 
Louis  love-lorn.  And  you,  my  dear,'*  said 
Cousin  Eugenia,  turning  to  look  at  her,  "  I  be 
gin  to  fear  you're  not  very  far  from  being 
rather  froggy  yourself.  It's  a  very  good  thing 
that  you've  taken  no  more  of  a  fancy  to  Louis, 
as  it  all  turns  out — (I  fancied  you,  too,  were  in 
some  danger  at  first !) — but  I  do  wonder  how 
you  have  kept  so  cool  about  that  captivating 
young  man,  your  cousin,  with  his  sweet,  caress 
ing  smiles  and  artful,  foreign  ways.  The  Mrs. 


218  Across  the  Chasm. 

Vere  episode  would  have  been  rather  a  blow, 
I  fear,  if  you  had  set  your  affections  in  that 
quarter." 

"  On  the  whole,"  said  Margaret,  smiling,  "  it 
seems  to  me  that  I  am  escaping  a  good  many 
breakers  by  remaining  fancy  free.  But  here 
we  are  at  our  destination." 

And  so  the  conversation  ended. 

During  this  day — the  one  that  followed  the 
party — Margaret  received  a  note  from  Charley 
Somers,  bearing  a  Washington  post-mark. 
Observing  this,  her  first  angry  thought  was  to 
return  it  unopened,  so  indignant  was  she  at  his 
persistence,  and  when  she  presently  decided  to 
read  it,  its  humble  and  imploring  tone  did  not 
mollify  her  in  the  least.  Her  letter  of  course 
had  not  reached  him,  and  he  had  grown  impa 
tient  and  concluded  not  to  wait  to  hear  from 
her. 

She  wrote  him  a  few  lines,  declining  ex 
plicitly  to  see  him,  feeling  herself  justified  in 
taking  so  extreme  a  measure,  as  lesser  ones 
had  failed  to  repress  the  young  man's  ardor. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

ON  Christmas-eve,  after  dinner,  as  General 
and  Mrs.  Gaston,  Miss  Trevennon  and  Mr. 
Louis  Gaston  were  seated  around  the  drawing- 
room  fire,  a  card  of  invitation  was  brought  in 
by  Thomas,  and  delivered  to  General  Gaston. 
As  he  took  it  and  scanned  it  through  his 
glasses,  a  perceptible  gleam  of  satisfaction 
came  into  his  eyes,  and  he  handed  it  to  Mrs. 
Gaston,  saying : 

"  A  card  for  General  Morton's  supper." 
"  Indeed  !  "  returned  his  wife,  with  a  reflec 
tion  of  his  gratified  expression.     "  Beally,  this 
is  very  kind." 

As  she  took  the  card  and  looked  at  it,  Mar 
garet  surveyed  her  wonderingly.  Turning  her 
eyes  away  from  her  cousin's  face,  an  instant 
later,  she  saw  that  Louis  Gaston  was  regard 
ing  her  with  a  sort  of  deprecating  amusement. 
He  was  seated  near  to  her,  and  so  he  alone  dis- 


220  Across  the  Chasm. 

tinguished  her  words,  when  she  murmured,  in 
an  undertone : 

" '  How  strange  are  the  customs  of  France ' !  " 

She  smiled  as  she  said  it,  and  Cousin  Eu 
genia,  who  saw  the  smile,  but  missed  the 
words  she  had  uttered,  said  explainingly  : 

"  This  supper  of  General  Morton's  is  an  an 
nual  affair.  He  has  given  one  on  New  Year's 
night  ever  since  he  has  been  in  Washington. 
They  are  limited  to  twenty-five  gentlemen,  and 
of  course  these  are  carefully  selected.  It  is 
always  the  most  recherche  stag-party  of  the  sea 
son,  and  one  is  sure  of  meeting  there  the  most 
distinguished  and  agreeable  people  the  city 
will  afford.  He  has  always  been  so  kind  in 
asking  Edward,  though  of  course  the  invitations 
are  greatly  in  demand,  and  residents  cannot 
always  expect  to  receive  them." 

Nothing  further  was  said  about  the  matter 
just  then,  but  it  was  evident  that  this  atten 
tion  from  General  Morton  had  put  Mrs.  Gaston 
in  unusually  high  spirits,  and  her  husband,  on 
his  part,  was  scarcely  less  elated. 


Across  the  Chasm.  221 

A  little  later,  when  Louis  and  Margaret  hap 
pened  to  be  alone,  the  former  said : 

"  I  wish  you  would  tell  ine  what  it  was  that 
amused  you  about  that  invitation.  The  system 
of  social  tactics,  of  which  you  are  the  exponent, 
begins  to  interest  me  extremely.  What  was  it 
that  brought  that  puzzled  look  to  your  face 
just  now  ?  " 

"  Shall  I  really  tell  ?  "  the  girl  asked,  doubt 
fully. 

"Pray  do — frankly.  I'm  so  interested  to 
know." 

"  I  was  wondering  who  this  General  Morton 
could  be,  that  a  card  to  his  supper  should  be 
deemed  such  an  acquisition.  I  have  discovered 
the  fact  that  you  Gastons  are  proud  of  your  lin 
eage,  and,  as  I  have  heard  it  said  that  yours  is 
one  of  the  few  really  historical  families  of  Amer 
ica,  perhaps  it  should  not  be  wondered  at.  Who 
then,  can  General  Morton  be,  I  was  thinking, 
to  be  in  a  position  to  confer  honor  on  the  Gas- 
tons?  I  suppose  he's  some  one  very  grand, 
but  I'm  such  an  ignoramus  that  I  really  don't 


222  Across  the  Chasm. 

know  who  the  Mortons  are,  when  they're  at 
home." 

"I  believe  Morton's  origin  was  very  com 
mon,"  said  Louis.  "  Certainly,  he  has  no  sort 
of  claim  to  aristocratic  distinction.  He  has  a 
high  official  position  and  is  very  rich  and  a 
very  good-natured,  sensible  sort  of  man,  but  it 
is  out  of  the  question  that  he  could,  socially 
speaking,  confer  honor  upon  my  brother." 

"  And  yet  it  was  evident,"  began  Margaret — 
but  she  stopped  abruptly,  and  Louis  made  no 
motion  to  help  her  out. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  said,  presently,  "  that, 
through  your  influence,  Miss  Trevennon,  I 
have  been  gradually  undergoing  certain  changes 
in  my  points  of  view.  I  am  getting  an  insight 
into  your  social  basis  and  system,  and,  stub 
born  Yankee  as  I  am,  I  must  admit  that  there's 
something  fine  in  it  I  really  think  I  begin  to 
feel  myself  veering  perceptibly.  Until  I  met 
you,  I  had  no  idea  what  a  difference  there  was 
between  the  Northern  and  Southern  ideas  of 
these  matters." 


Across  the  Chasm.  223 

"  But  I  must  not  be  taken  as  a  strict  repre 
sentative  of  the  Southern  idea — nor  you,  I  sup 
pose,  for  a  strict  representative  of  the  North 
ern  idea,"  said  Margaret.  "At  home,  they 
think  me  a  great  radical.  I  have  no  special 
respect  for  pedigrees  in  general.  That  one's 
forefathers  should  have  been  honest  is  the  first 
thing,  it  seems  to  me,  and  that  they  should 
have  been  social  luminaries  should  come  a 
long  way  after." 

"  You  rather  amaze  me  in  that,"  said  Louis. 
"  I  thought  there  were  no  sticklers  for  birth  and 
ancestry  like  the  Southerners." 

"  It  is  perfectly  true  of  a  large  class  of  them," 
said  Margaret ;  "but  I  have  seen  too  much  of  the 
degeneration  of  distinguished  families  in  the 
South,  to  have  much  sympathy  with  that  idea. 
In  too  many  cases  they  have  lacked  the  spirit 
to  save  them  from  such  degeneration,  and,  that 
being  the  case,  what  does  their  blood  go  for  ? 
It  ought  to  go  for  nothing,  I  think — worse  than 
nothing,  for  if  it  has  any  virtue  at  all,  it  should 
make  its  possessors  independent  and  manly." 


224:  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  You  have  sometimes  sneered  a  little  gentle 
sneer  at  the  Gaston  pride — have  you  not  ?  " 
said  Louis ;  "  and  I've  sometimes  thought  it 
odd,  because  I  had  always  been  told  that  the 
pride  of  the  Southern  people  is  unprece 
dented." 

"It  is  of  a  different  sort,"  said  Margaret; 
"  for  instance " 

But  she  checked  herself,  and  colored. 

"  Oh,  pray  give  me  the  example,"  said  Louis, 
earnestly.  "Illustrations  are  such  helps.  I 
beg  you  will  not  let  any  over-sensibility  prevent 
your  speaking  plainly.  It  may  be  that  you've 
got  the  best  of  these  social  questions.  I  want 
to  be  able  to  judge." 

"  How  honest  and  fair  you  are  !  "  said  Mar 
garet,  "  and  how  rare  that  spirit  is  !  I  really 
think  I'll  tell  you  frankly  what  I  was  going  to 
say.  You  know  what  an  appreciation  of  your 
brother  I  have,  and  how  entirely  his  fine  quali 
ties  command  my  respect,  but  I  will  not  deny 
that  his  bearing  in  the  matter  of  this  invitation 
has  amazed  me.  I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying 


Across  the  Chasm.  225 

that  no  Southern  man,  in  your  brother's  sphere 
of  society,  could  possibly  be  found — no  matter 
how  insulated  or  behind  the  times  he  might  be 
— no  matter  how  poor  or  incapable  or  igno 
rant,  who  could  be  agitated  and  flattered  by  an 
invitation  from  General  Morton  or  General 
anybody  else.  The  notion  would  never  pene 
trate  their  brains.  But  I  am  very  bold,"  she 
said,  checking  herself  suddenly.  "  I  am  afraid 
I  have  said  too  much." 

"It  would  be   too  much  for  any  one   else 

r 

to  say  to  me  certainly,"  said  Louis,  look 
ing  steadily  at  her,  "  and  I  cannot  say  the 
idea  you  suggest  is  exactly  palatable ;  but  I 
think  I  could  hardly  take  offence  at  words  of 
yours." 

At  that  moment  the  door-bell  rang,  and  pres 
ently  Thomas  announced  General  Beardon. 

"  Generals  seem  to  be  the  order  of  the  day," 
said  Margaret,  with  a  smile,  as  the  visitor  was 
crossing  the  hall.  "  I  might  be  back  in  Bassett 
for  the  prevalence  of  titles." 

Miss  Trevennon  greeted  General  Keardon 
15 


226  Across  the  Chasm. 

with  great  cordiality,  and  set  herself  at  once 
to  the  task  of  entertaining  him.  He  called 
only  occasionally  at  the  Gastons'  house,  as  he 
did  not  enjoy  their  society  any  more  than  they 
did  his.  He  had  been  in  the  United  States 
Army  before  the  war,  and  had  been  extremely 
popular  among  the  officers,  being  possessed  of 
a  fund  of  anecdote  and  humor,  which  congealed 
instantly  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  Gastons' 
drawing-room,  but  flowed  freely  enough  in 
camps  and  barracks.  He  was  of  a  good  South 
ern  family,  and  essentially  a  gentleman.  His 
visits,  as  has  been  indicated,  were  not  espe 
cially  inspiring  to  the  Gastons,  but  Cousin  Eu 
genia  had  detected  in  her  husband  a  faint 
tendency  to  slight  this  distant  cousin  of  hers, 
and  it  was  just  like  her,  after  that,  to  treat  him 
with  greater  distinction.  General  Gaston,  in 
truth,  found  it  a  little  difficult  to  ignore  the 
fact  that  he  was  an  officer  in  the  Federal  army 
who  had  gone  with  the  South,  and  certainly 
did  not  enjoy  his  visits  ;  but  he  stood  in  some 
awe  of  his  wife,  which  enabled  him  partially 


Across  the  Chasm.  227 

to  conceal  the  fact  that  he  chafed  under  her 
cousin's  companionship. 

When  Thomas  had  summoned  his  master  and 
mistress  to  the  drawing-room,  Mrs.  Gaston 
seated  herself  near  General  Reardon,  and 
at  once  fell  into  fluent  conversation  with  him. 
General  Gaston,  for  his  part,  established  him 
self  half-way  between  this  couple  and  the  pair 
who  were  seated  on  the  other  side  of  the  fire 
place.  He  sat  very  straight  and  erect  in  his 
chair,  occasionally  making  a  rather  forced 
remark  to  General  Reardon,  who,  in  his  turn, 
was  conscious  of  being  bored  and  ill  at  ease, 
but  entirely  unconscious  of  being  the  object 
of  any  slight  whatever.  It  occurred  to  him, 
perhaps,  that  his  host's  manner  was  peculiar, 
even  unfortunate,  but  it  would  have  taken  a 
great  deal  to  convey  to  his  honest  breast  the 
suspicion  that  any  gentleman  alive  could  mean 
to  slight  a  visitor  in  his  own  house. 

Mrs.  Gaston,  when  she  chose,  could  talk 
agreeably  to  any  one  on  almost  any  subject,  and 
she  was  now  discussing  crops  and  market-gar- 


228  Across  the  Chasm. 

dening,  and  listening,  with  great  vivacity  of 
expression,  to  a  detailed  account  that  General 
Reardon  was  giving  of  the  reports  his  wife — 
whom  he  called  "  Loose,"  her  name  being  Lucy 
— related  of  the  result  of  a  little  venture  in  the 
way  of  a  market-garden  which  they  had  made. 

"By-the-way,  General,"  said  the  visitor, 
breaking  off  suddenly  from  his  conversation 
with  Mrs.  Gaston,  and  turning  to  address  her 
husband,  as  if  struck  with  a  sudden  thought ; 
"are  you  invited  to  this  supper  of  General 
Morton's?" 

Imperceptible  bristles  began  to  rise  over 
General  Gaston's  surface.  He  drew  himself 
still  more  erect,  and  cleared  his  throat  once  or 
twice  before  answering. 

"Ah — I  beg  your  pardon- — ah — yes,"  said 
General  Gaston,  with  an  inflection  that  sug 
gested  that  he  was  rather  asking  a  question 
than  answering  one.  He  cleared  his  throat 
again  and  went  on,  with  a  certain  supercilious 
ness  that  Margaret  noted  carefully.  "  General 
Morton  has  been  kind  enough  to  remember  me 


Across  the  Chasm.  229 

and  send  me  a  card.  There  is  always  a  very 
distinguished  company  at  these  suppers  of 
his,  and  I  shouldn't  think  of  missing  this." 

"Loose  wants  me  to  go,"  responded  General 
Eeardon,  in  indolent,  indifferent  tones  that  set 
Margaret's  blood  a-tingling  with  delight ;  "  but 
I  don't  care  anything  about  it.  I  s'pose  the 
men'll  all  wear  swallow-tails,  and  I  haven't  got 
one.  I'll  tell  Morton  he'll  have  to  let  me  off. — 
What  I  was  going  to  tell  you  about  the  potato 
crop,  is  this,"  he  said,  returning  to  his  conver 
sation  with  Mrs.  Gaston,  as  being  the  more 
interesting  of  the  two.  "Loose  says,  if  we'd 
planted  Early  Rose " 

But  Margaret  listened  no  further.  She  knew 
Louis  was  looking  at  her,  and  she  had  drawn 
down  the  corners  of  her  mouth,  demurely,  in 
her  efforts  not  to  laugh  ;  but  her  eyes  brimmed 
over  with  such  sparkling  merriment,  that  the 
mouth's  quiescence  went  for  little. 

Mr.  Gaston  presently  drew  out  his  watch, 
and  reminded  Miss  Trevennon  of  the  fact  that 
it  was  nearly  time  to  set  out  for  the  theatre,  in 


230  Across  the  Chasm. 

fulfilment  of  their  engagement,  so  she  excused 
herself,  and  went  to  put  on  her  wraps. 

When  the  two  young  people  found  them 
selves  alone  together,  in  the  clear,  bracing  at 
mosphere  of  the  city  streets — they  had  chosen 
to  walk — Margaret  began  the  conversation  by 
saying : 

"Alan  Decourcy  called  while  we  were  out 
driving  this  morning.  I  hope  we  shall  not  hap 
pen  to  be  in  view  of  the  theatre-party  to  night ; 
it  would  be  a  little  awkward,  as  we  both  re 
fused  to  join  it." 

"Not  at  all,"  said  Louis,  "they  need  never 
know  but  that  our  engagement  antedated  their 
invitation.  Don't  give  yourself  any  uneasiness 
about  that." 

When  they  had  gone  on  a  few  moments  in 
silence,  Louis  said  in  his  pleasant  voice,  which 
even  in  the  darkness  indicated  that  he  was 
smiling : 

"Well,  you  had  your  little  triumph  this 
evening ! " 

"  I  did,"  returned  Margaret,  with  a  soft,  little 


Across  the  Chasm.  231 

laugh,  "  and  I  must  say  I  enjoyed  it.  But  I 
was  wondering  how  he  happened  to  know  Gen 
eral  Morton." 

"  Oh,  I  dare  say  they  were  chums  in  the 
United  States  Army,  before  the  war,"  said 
Louis.  "  Only  think  what  a  chance  that  man 
threw  away  !  Why,  if  he  had  remained  in  the 
Union  army  he  might  have  been  a  Major-Gen 
eral  by  this  time." 

"  He  is  a  Major-General,  I  think,"  said  Mar 
garet,  demurely  ;  "  or  is  it  only  a  Brigadier  ?  " 

"  You  impertinent  little  rebel !  "  said  Louis. 
"  How  dare  you  say  that  to  me  ?  How  do  you 
know  I  will  submit  to  such  audacity  ?  You 
make  heavy  draughts  upon  my  clemency." 

"I'm  afraid  I  do,"  said  Margaret;  "but  I've 
always  had  them  generously  honored.  But 
while  we  are  on  the  subject,  there's  one  thing 
that  I  do  want  to  say  to  you.  Do  you  know,  I 
have  observed  that  your  brother  never  gives 
General  Reardon  his  title?  In  speaking  of 
him  to  me  or  Cousin  Eugenia,  he  always  says 
'your  cousin,'  and  in  speaking  to  him  he 


232  Across  the  Chasm. 

avoids  calling  him  anything  at  all.  Once  only, 
when  he  had  to  say  something,  he  called  him 
'  Mr.  Eeardon.'  He  did  indeed  ! " 

"  Well,  in  point  of  fact,  you  know,"  said 
Louis,  rather  uncomfortably,  "  he's  got  no 
more  right  to  the  title  of  General  than  you 
have.  The  point  has  been  definitely  decided. 
It  is  only  a  matter  of  courtesy." 

"  I  don't  know  who  had  the  power  to  decide 
it,"  Margaret  said ;  "  but  we  are  not  consider 
ing  the  point  of  legal  right.  Its  being,  as  you 
admit,  a  matter  of  courtesy,  should  settle  the 
thing,  I  think.  Don't  you  ?  " 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "I  do.  I'm  not  sure  I  al 
ways  thought  so,  but  I  do  now." 

When  they  reached  the  theatre,  they  found 
the  overture  just  begun.  A  few  minutes  later 
they  saw  Mrs.  Vere's  party  enter  and  place 
themselves  in  their  box.  The  dashing  young 
hostess  led  the  way,  and  seated  herself  en  evi 
dence,  with  a  brilliant  party  grouped  about  her. 
One  or  two  of  these  Margaret  recognized,  and 
Louis  knew  them  all,  naming  them,  without 


Across  the  Chasm.  233 

comment,  to  Margaret.  There  was  some  one 
whom  they  did  not  see,  sitting  in  the  shadow 
behind  the  curtain,  and  to  this  person  Mrs. 
Yere  directed  a  greater  part  of  her  attention. 
She  constantly  leaned  to  speak  to  him,  or 
bowed  her  head  to  catch  his  utterances,  cast 
ing  toward  him  now  and  then  the  languishing 
looks  which  her  peculiarly  long  eyelashes 
rendered  so  effective.  Margaret  felt  that  this 
person  was  Alan  Decourcy,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  first  act  her  suspicion  was  proved  to  be  cor 
rect,  as  he  then  rose  and  came  to  Mrs.  Vere's 
side  to  take  a  survey  of  the  house.  He  looked 
very  graceful  and  elegant,  but,  in  some  way,  the 
great  charm  his  appearance  had  once  possessed 
for  her  was  gone. 

When  she  turned  her  eyes  away  from  him, 
they  rested,  almost  without  any  volition  of  her 
own,  upon  Louis  Gaston's  quiet  profile.  He 
was  looking  away  from  her,  and  so  she  could 
scan  at  leisure  the  earnest  lineaments  that  had 
in  them  a  genuineness  and  nobleness  so  much 
better  than  beauty.  The  more  she  felt  her 


234  Across  the  Chasm. 

disappointment  in  Alan  Decourcy,  the  more 
she  believed  in  and  rested  upon  Louis  Gas- 
ton's  friendship.  Imperceptibly  her  regard 
for  him  had  widened  and  deepened,  until  now 
merely  to  think  of  him  was  to  feel  peaceful  and 
safe  and  at  rest 


CHAPTEK  XVL 

riHBISTMAS  Day  was  fine  and  brilliant,  and 
V'  Margaret  awaked  early.  Her  first  thoughts 
were  of  home  and  distant  friends.  How  well 
she  knew  that  the  dear  father  and  mother,  far 
away  in  Bassett,  were  thinking  of  her !  As  she 
rose  and  dressed,  her  heart  was  in  full  unison 
with  the  day's  sweet  lesson  of  peace  and  good 
will,  and  when  she  knelt  to  say  her  morning 
prayers,  she  had  a  vague  feeling  that  somehow 
this  Christmas  Day  was  a  fuller  and  better  one 
than  any  she  had  known  before.  She  did  not 
ask  herself  what  was  the  new  element  in  her 
life  that  made  it  so ;  it  was  too  indefinite  to 
be  formulated  into  a  tangible  idea,  but  she  felt 
conscious  of  its  presence. 

General  and  Mrs.  Gaston  had  a  charming 
present  for  her  when  she  went  down  to  break 
fast — a  pair  of  exquisite  gold  bracelets  of  the 
most  beautiful  design  and  workmanship,  and, 


236  Across  the  Chasm. 

as  they  seemed  really  pleased  with  the  little 
presents  that  she  had  prepared  for  them,  they 
had  a  very  satisfactory  beginning  of  their 
Christmas  Day.  After  breakfast,  she  went  to 
her  room  to  write  a  letter  home,  and  when 
that  was  done  it  was  time  to  dress  for  church. 

A  little  before  eleven,  as  Miss  Trevennon  was 
standing  in  the  deep  bow-window  of  the  draw 
ing-room,  equipped  for  the  morning  service, 
she  heard  a  firm  tread  on  the  carpet  behind 
her,  and  the  next  moment  her  somewhat  rusty 
little  Prayer-book  and  Hymnal  were  slipped 
from  her  hand,  and  a  marvellous  tortoise-shell 
case,  containing  two  beautiful  little  books,  sub 
stituted  for  them.  Margaret  looked  up  quickly, 
and  met  Louis  Gaston's  smiling  eyes.  He  had 
searched  New  York  over  for  the  prettiest  set 
he  could  find,  and  the  result  satisfied  him. 

"  You  will  use  these  instead,  will  you  not  ?  " 
he  said.  "I  wanted  to  give  you  some  little 
thing." 

A  flush  of  pleasure  rose  to  Margaret's  face. 

"I  never  saw  anything  half  so  lovely,"  she 


Across  the  Chasm.  237 

said,  handling  them  delightedly.  "To  think 
of  your  taking  the  trouble !  I  suspect  my 
shabby  little  books  offended  your  fastidious 
taste.  I  never  dreamed  of  your  remembering 
me  in  this  kind  way.  I  wish  I  had  a  present 
for  you." 

"You  might  give  me  the  old  ones,  perhaps," 
he  said,  hesitatingly.  "I  should  think  it  a 
munificent  return,  for,  as  you  say,  they  are  worn 
and  shabby,  and  that  comes  only  from  much 
using.  How  often  they  have  been  in  your 
hands  when  your  thoughts  were  away  with 
God!  I  should  like  to  keep  them  as  a  sou 
venir  of  you.  May  I,  if  you  don't  particularly 
value  them  ?  " 

"  I  should  be  only  too  glad  for  you  to  have 
them,"  said  Margaret,  in  a  low  voice.  "  Only  I 
did  not  think  you  would  care  for  anything  like 
that.  I  asked  Cousin  Eugenia  once  what 
church  your  family  belonged  to,  and  she  said 
you  called  yourselves  Unitarians,  but  practi 
cally  you  were  pagans.  I  couldn't  help  hoping 
it  was  not  really  true — of  you  at  least." 


238  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  It  isn't  in  the  least  true  of  me,"  he  said, 
frowning,  and  looking  so  displeased  that  Mar 
garet  was  almost  sorry  she  had  spoken.  "I 
would  not,  for  anything,  have  you  to  suppose 
me  an  irreligious  man,  for  it  is  not  true,  and 
I  never  even  called  myself  a  Unitarian.  On 
the  contrary,  I  was  wishing  a  little  while  ago 
that  I  could  go  with  you  to  church,  so  that  you 
and  I  might  keep  this  day  holy  together." 

"Do,"  said  Margaret,  earnestly.  "I  have 
seen  that  you  do  not  very  often  go.  Go  with 
us  to-day,  and  make  a  resolve  for  better  things 
in  future.  You  would  be  so  wise  to  do  it." 

"  I  don't  think  I  will  go  this  morning,"  he 
said ;  "  Eugenia  has  not  room  for  me  in  the 
coupe.  But  will  you  let  me  take  you  to-night  ? 
We. will  walk,  perhaps,  if  it  remains  fine,  and 
the  music  will  be  lovely.  Perhaps,  if  we're 
lucky,  they  will  get  some  good  voice  to  sing 
the  Cantique  de  Noel." 

"I  love  that  so  dearly,"  Margaret  said.  "I 
shall  be  delighted  to  go  with  you." 

A  little  sigh  rose,  as  she  spoke.     This  was 


Across  the  Chasm.  239 

one  of  Charley  Somers'  favorites ;  she  had 
taken  pains  to  see  that  he  sang  it  correctly, 
and  his  voice  was  trained  to  it  beautifully. 

Her  reflections  were  cut  short  by  the  appear 
ance  of  Mrs.  Gaston,  who  swept  down  the  steps, 
elaborately  arrayed  in  furs  and  velvets,  and 
signified  her  readiness  to  set  out. 

Louis  helped  them  into  the  carriage,  and 
then  turned  away,  saying  he  was  going  for  a 
long  walk.  There  was  a  look  of  gravity  on  his 
face  that  Margaret  found  herself  recalling  long 
afterward. 

The  weather  continued  fine,  and  it  proved 
quite  mild  enough  for  Louis  and  Margaret  to 
walk  to  church  in  the  evening.  As  they  took 
their  way  along  the  gayly  lighted  streets,  the 
young  man  turned  suddenly  and,  looking  down 
into  her  face,  said : 

"Do  you  know,  I  found  a  little  pressed 
flower  in  my  Hymnal,  when  I  opened  it  this 
morning.  Am  I  to  keep  it  or  return  it  to 
you?" 

They  were  just  under  a  gas-light,  and  Marga- 


240  Across  the  Chasm. 

ret,  though  she  would  not  drop  her  eyes  under 
his  searching  gaze,  felt  that  she  looked  con 
fused,  as  she  said : 

"  No ;  you  must  give  that  back  to  me.  I  had 
forgotten  it." 

It  was  a  little  flower  that  Charley  Somers 
had  put  in  there  one  evening,  and  she  had 
never  happened  to  remove  it. 

Mr.  Gaston  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket  and 
took  out  the  book.  It  opened  easily  at  the 
place,  and  he  removed  the  flower,  which  was 
run  into  a  little  slit,  and  handed  it  to  her  as 
they  entered  the  church  vestibule. 

"There  were  some  initials  under  it,"  he  said. 

"  Oh,  you  can  just  rub  those  out.  It  doesn't 
matter,"  said  Margaret,  as  she  took  the  flower. 
She  was  about  to  crush  and  throw  it  from  her, 
when  a  pang  of  pity  for  poor  Charley  checked 
her ;  so  she  opened  her  own  Prayer-book  and 
hurriedly  slipped  it  among  the  leaves. 

The  service  seemed  wonderfully  sweet  to 
her  that  night.  The  hymns  and  anthems  were 
triumphant  and  inspiring,  and  the  sermon  was 


Across  the  Chasm.  241 

simple,  earnest  and  comforting.  Louis  found 
his  places,  and  used  his  little  book  sedulously, 
and  Margaret  felt  intuitively  that  this  service 
was  sweet  to  him  also.  As  she  glanced  at 
him  occasionally,  she  saw  that  his  face  looked 
serious  and  a  little  careworn,  now  that  she  saw 
it  in  such  perfect  repose. 

The  sermon  was  ended  now.  The  congrega 
tion  had  risen  at  its  termination,  and  had 
settled  again  in  their  seats.  The  wardens 
were  walking  up  the  aisle  to  receive  the  alms- 
basins,  when  the  organ  began  to  murmur  a 
low  prelude.  Louis  and  Margaret  glanced  at 
each  other  quickly.  It  was  the  Cantique  de 
Noel. 

Margaret  leaned  back  in  her  seat,  serene  and 
restful,  prepared  for  a  deep  enjoyment  of  the 
pleasure  before  her,  and  at  that  moment  a  rich, 
sweet  voice,  high  up  in  the  choir  behind  her 

began : 

"Oh,  holy  night " 

At  the  first  note  uttered  by  that  voice  the 

color  rushed  to  Miss  Trevennon's  cheeks,  and 
16 


242  Across  the  Chasm. 

she  drew  in  her  breath  with  a  sound  that  was 
almost  a  gasp. 
And  up  on  high  the  beautiful  voice  sang  on : 

"  It  is  the  night  of  the  dear  Saviour's  birth." 

Higher  and  sweeter  it  soared — thrilling,  rich, 
pathetic — and  how  familiar  to  the  young  girl's 
ears  was  every  modulation  and  inflection! 
How  often  had  that  flood  of  melody  been 
poured  forth,  for  her  ear  alone,  in  the  old 
parlor  at  home ! 

It  was  Charley  Somers,  and  she  knew  that  he 
had  seen  her,  and  that  he  was  singing  to  her 
now,  no  less  than  then.  She  listened,  as  in  a 
dream,  while  the  wistful,  yearning  voice  sang 
on.  And  now  came  the  words  : 

"  Fall  on  your  knees  !  fall  on  your  knees  ! 

They  were  somewhat  indistinct,  in  their 
mingling  of  sweet  sounds,  and,  in  some  vague 
way,  it  seemed  to  Margaret  that  they  were  a 
direct  appeal  from  Charley  Somers  to  her  for 
mercy  and  pardon. 


Across  the  Chasm.  243 

It  was  all  so  moving,  and  Gaston  felt  so 
touched  by  it  himself,  that  it  scarcely  sur 
prised  him  when  he  glanced  at  Margaret,  as 
the  sweet  voice  died  away,  to  see  that  her  eyes 
were  full  of  tears.  As  they  knelt  for  the  con 
cluding  prayer  she  brushed  away  the  traces 
of  these,  and  when  they  walked  down  the  aisle 
together  her  calmness  had  quite  returned. 
And  how  calm  and  quiet  her  companion 
looked!  His  perfectly  chosen  clothes,  the 
smooth  neatness  of  his  short,  dark  hair,  and, 
more  than  all,  his  self-collected  bearing  and 
thoughtful  face,  made  him  a  contrast  to  the 
rather  carelessly  dressed  young  man,  with 
dishevelled,  curly  locks,  and  eager,  restless 
eyes,  who  stood  in  the  vestibule,  at  the  foot  of 
the  gallery  steps,  rapidly  scanning  the  faces  of 
the  dispersing  congregation,  in  complete  un 
consciousness  of  the  fact  that  his  somewhat 
singular  conduct  and  appearance  were  being 
observed  by  those  around  him.  As  his  restless 
gaze  at  last  fell  upon  Miss  Trevennon,  his  knit 
brows  relaxed,  and  he  pressed  forward. 


244  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  May  I  come  to  see  you  to-morrow  ?  "  he 
said,  in  eager  tones,  which,  though  low,  were 
distinctly  audible  to  Louis. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Margaret  at  once,  in  a  some 
what  tremulous  voice,  "  at  eleven  in  the  morn- 

ing." 

Then,  taking  her  companion's  arm,  she 
passed  on.  Louis  had  observed  that  the  two 
did  not  shake  hands,  nor  exchange  any  word 
of  greeting.  This  hurried  question  and  answer 
was  all  that  passed  between  them.  What  had 
there  been  in  a  short,  casual  meeting  like  that 
to  make  the  girl  look  pale  and  excited,  as  her 
companion  saw  by  a  furtive  glance  that  she 
was  ?  He  could  feel  her  hand  tremble  slightly 
when  she  first  laid  it  within  his  arm,  but  the 
little,  almost  imperceptible  flutter  soon  ceased, 
and  she  walked  on  very  quiet  and  still.  And 
so  they  took  their  way  along  the  streets  in 
silence.  She  did  not  seem  inclined  to  talk, 
and  he  would  not  jar  her  by  speaking. 

Margaret,  as  she  mused  upon  this  meeting, 
was  blaming  herself  for  the  concession  she 


Across  the  Chasm.  245 

had  made,  which  was  indeed  attributable  alto 
gether  to  the  music. 

"I  have  no  resolution  or  power  of  resist 
ance  whatever,  when  I'm  under  the  influence 
of  music,"  she  said  to  herself,  half  angrily. 
"It  takes  away  my  moral  accountability.  I 
don't  believe  the  story  of  the  sirens  is  a  fable. 
A  beautiful  voice  could  draw  me  toward  itself 
as  truly  as  the  pole  draws  the  magnet.  It  is 
intense  weakness.  I  ought  to  have  told  him 
No,  and  ended  the  matter  at  once." 

Remembering  that  her  companion  would 
have  reason  to  wonder  at  her  silence,  Margaret 
roused  herself  with  an  effort  and  made  some 
comment  on  the  service. 

"  It  was  all  very  beautiful,"  said  Louis.  "  I 
felt  it  very  much,  and  I  feel  very  happy  to 
have  gone.  That  solo  was  exquisitely  sung. 
The  voice  does  not  seem  to  be  highly  culti 
vated,  but  it  was  thrillingly  sweet." 

"It  was  Mr.  Somers,  the  young  man  from 
Bassett,  whose  voice  I  have  spoken  to  you 
of.  He  has  just  come  to  Washington,  and  I 


246  Across  the  Chasm. 

knew  he  would  want  to  see  me,  so  I  named  an 
hour  when  I  was  sure  to  be  free." 

When  they  had  reached  home  and  were 
going  up  the  steps,  they  found  Thomas  open 
ing  the  door  for  a  colored  servant-man,  who 
had  two  small  parcels  in  his  hand.  He  took 
off  his  hat  and  stepped  back  as  they  came  up, 
and  Thomas  said : 

"  It  is  a  parcel  for  Miss  Trevennon." 

Margaret  turned  and  held  out  her  hand  for  it. 

"  Where  from  ?  "  she  said. 

"From  the  Arlington,  Miss,"  replied  the 
man,  in  evident  trepidation.  "  I'm  very  sorry, 
Miss,  but  there's  been  a  mistake.  It  was  to 
have  been  sent  this  morning,  but  it  has  been 
such  a  busy  day  that  it  has  been  forgotten. 
Mr.  Decourcy  left  particular  orders,  and  I  hope 
you'll  be  kind  enough  to  excuse  the  delay, 
Miss." 

Margaret  turned  the  parcel  so  as  to  get  the 
light  from  the  hall  gas  upon  it.  As  she  did  so, 
her  expression  changed  quickly.  It  was  ad 
dressed  to  Mrs.  Vere. 


Across  the  Chasm.  247 

"  There  is  some  mistake,"  she  said,  coldly, 
with  a  certain  high  turn  of  the  head  that  Louis 
knew.  "  This  is  not  for  me." 

The  poor  negro,  who  was  perhaps  somewhat 
the  worse  for  the  wine  remnants  left  by  the 
Arlington's  Christmas  guests,  was  overwhelmed 
with  confusion,  and,  quickly  extending  the 
other  package,  explained  that  he  had  made  a 
mistake  between  the  two,  and  asked  Miss  Tre- 
vennon  rather  helplessly  to  see  if  this  one  was 
not  addressed  to  herself. 

It  proved  to  be  so ;  and  though,  under  the 
circumstances,  Margaret  would  have  preferred 
not  to  touch  it,  she  was  compelled  to  take  it 
and  dismiss  the  man,  which  she  did  somewhat 
curtly. 

She  did  not  examine  her  parcel  until  she 
reached  her  own  room,  and  even  then  she 
tossed  it  on  the  bed,  and  removed  her  wraps 
and  hat  and  put  them  away  before  she  untied 
the  string  which  bound  it.  Once  she  thought 
she  would  put  it  out  of  sight  until  to-morrow, 
but,  despite  her  disfavor  toward  the  giver,  she 


248  Across  the  Chasm. 

had  a  young  lady's  natural  curiosity  as  to  the 
gift,  and  so  she  presently  took  it  up  and  untied 
it.  A  little  note  fell  out.  It  was  dated  Christ 
mas  morning  at  nine,  and  ran : 

"I  am  just  leaving  for  Baltimore,  under  a 
pledge  to  spend  to-day  with  Amy  and  the 
children.  I  have  been  more  than  disappointed 
— hurt  at  missing  you,  both  when  I  called 
and  at  the  theatre  last  evening.  I  did  not 
know  you  had  been  present,  until  I  heard  it  by 
accident,  after  we  had  left.  It  had  not  at  all 
entered  into  my  calculations  to  forego  the 
pleasure  of  taking  leave  of  you  in  person,  and 
I  propose  to  get  the  better  of  fate  by  return 
ing  in  a  day  or  two  for  this  purpose. 

"  Merry  Christmas,  dear  Daisy,  and  all  good 
wishes  for  the  coming  year !  Who  knows  what 
it  may  have  in  store  for  us  ? 

"  Wear  my  little  present  sometimes  for  the 
sake  of  yours  devotedly,  A.  D." 

"  So  much  for  note  number  one  ! "  said  Mar 
garet.  "It  would  be  interesting  to  have  a 


Across  the  Chasm,  249 

glance  at  note  number  two,  which.  I  have  no 
doubt  is  equally  tender  and  gracious." 

She  took  up  the  little  leather  case  and  open 
ed  it,  revealing  a  beautiful  locket.  In  spite 
of  herself,  she  could  not  withhold  a  tribute 
to  her  cousin's  taste.  The  workmanship  and 
design  of  this  little  ornament  were  so  effective 
and  so  uncommon  that  she  felt  sure  Alan  must 
have  gone  to  some  trouble  about  it,  and  most 
likely  had  it  made  expressly  for  her. 

"He  is  kind,"  she  said,  regretfully.  "  It  was 
good  of  him  to  go  back  to  Baltimore,  in  order 
that  Amy  and  the  children  should  not  be  dis 
appointed.  I  almost  wish  I  had  not  made  this 
new  discovery  about  him  ;  but  no,  no,  no !  It 
would  have  been  dreadful  to  be  ignorant  of 
the  real  truth  of  the  matter." 

It  occurred  to  her  now  to  open  the  locket 
and,  on  doing  so,  her  cousin's  high-bred  face 
looked  out.  The  very  sight  of  it  made  her  re 
coil  inwardly.  How  well  she  remembered  the 
look  of  these  same  eyes,  as  they  had  been  bent 
upon  Mrs.  Vere,  with  an  expression  she  would 


250  Across  the  Chasm. 

have  liked  to  forget.  What  right  had  he  to 
expect  her  to  wear  his  picture  ?  Why  should 
she? 

He  had  sent  another  note  and  another  pres 
ent  elsewhere.  Was  there  another  picture, 
which  some  one  else  had  been  gracefully  urged 
to  wear,  for  the  sake  of  hers  devotedly  ?  It 
was  more  than  probable  ! 

"  I  half  believe  I  begin  to  understand  him," 
she  said  to  herself,  indignantly.  "  It  is  one  of 
his  sage  and  correct  opinions  that  a  man 
should  marry,  but  all  the  same  a  man  wants 
his  little  diversions.  Under  these  circum 
stances  he  had  better  marry  an  amiable,  easy 
going  young  thing,  who  is  healthy  and  cheer 
ful,  who  knows  nothing  of  the  world,  and  who 
will  leave  him  to  pursue  his  little  diversions 
undisturbed.  It  is  perfectly  humiliating!  I 
will  return  his  locket,  for  the  very  sight  of  it 
would  always  sting  me." 


CHAPTEK  XVH. 

ME..  SOMEES  came  promptly  at  eleven,  the 
next  morning,  and  Margaret  received  him 
in  the  drawing-room  alone.  She  had  given  or 
ders  that  she  should  be  denied  to  any  early  vis 
itors  who  might  be  coming  in,  and  was  resolved 
that  she  would  be  just  and  patient  with  the 
young  man,  though  she  was  also  resolved  that 
the  nature  of  their  relationship  should  be 
definitely  settled  and  understood,  during  this 
interview. 

They  had  not  been  seated  long  when  Mar 
garet  heard  Louis  Gaston's  voice  speaking  to 
a  servant  in  the  hall.  She  looked  up  in  sur 
prise,  as  she  had  supposed  him  to  be  at  his 
office  an  hour  ago.  He  came  in,  with  his  over 
coat  on,  and  his  hat  in  his  hand,  and  when 
Margaret  presented  him  to  Mr.  Somers  he  cor 
dially  offered  him  his  disengaged  hand.  Mar 
garet  was  struck  with  the  contrast  between  the 


252  Across  the  Chasm. 


two  general  exteriors,  as  she  had  been  the 
night  before,  but  she  was  not  a  whit  ashamed 
of  her  old  friend.  She  told  herself  that  no 
man  with  eyes  in  his  head  could  fail  to  see 
that  Somers  was  a  gentleman,  and,  for  the  rest, 
it  did  not  matter. 

"  I  learned  from  my  sister-in-law,"  said 
Louis,  addressing  Mr.  Somers,  "  that  Miss 
Trevennon  was  receiving  a  visit  from  a  friend 
from  home ;  and  Mrs.  Gaston  has  authorized 
me  to  come  and  engage  you  for  dinner  to-day, 
if  you  have  no  other  appointment.  I  hope  you 
will  be  able  to  come." 

Margaret,  glancing  at  Mr.  Somers,  was  dis 
tressed  to  see  that  he  looked  decidedly  un 
gracious.  She  saw,  by  his  manner,  that  he 
suspected  that  this  smooth-spoken  Yankee  was 
going  to  patronize  him,  though  nothing  could 
have  been  franker  and  less  patronizing  than 
Gaston's  whole  bearing. 

"Thank  you,"  Mr.  Somers  answered,  rather 
curtly,  "  I  have  another  engagement." 

Louis  expressed  the  hope  that  he  would  give 


Across  the  Chasm.  253 

them  another  day  while  he  was  in  Washington, 
and  asked  for  his  address,  saying  that  he  would 
call  upon  him. 

Mr.  Somers,  having  a  hazy  impression  that 
to  hand  his  card  was  the  proper  thing,  and  not 
wishing  to  be  outdone  in  savoir-faire,  fumbled 
in  his  pocket  and  produced  a  tumbled  envelope, 
out  of  which  he  drew  a  visiting-card  of  imposing 
proportions.  Margaret  glanced  at  it  quickly, 
and  saw,  to  her  horror,  that  it  was  printed ! 
In  the  midst  of  a  wide  expanse  of  tinted  paste 
board  was  inscribed  C.  R.  Somers,  in  aggressive 
German  type.  She  smiled  to  herself,  as  she 
made  a  swift  mental  comparison  between  this 
card  and  another — a  pure-white  little  affair, 
with  Mr.  Louis  Gaston  engraved  on  it  in  quiet 
script.  She  knew  well  what  Gaston  was  think 
ing  of  Charley,  as  he  waited  quietly  while 
the  latter  wrote  his  address  and  handed  him 
the  cumbrous  card  with  rather  a  bad  grace, 
and  she  knew  as  well  what  Charley,  as  he 
scribbled  off  the  street  <  and  number  of  his 
friend's  house,  was  thinking  of  Mr.  Gaston.  It 


254  Across  ike  Chasm. 

was  all  very  absurd,  and  she  could  not  help 
feeling  and  perhaps  looking  amused. 

Louis  lingered  to  make  a  few  more  friendly 
overtures,  but  these  were  so  loftily  received 
by  Mr.  Somers  that  he  soon  found  it  best  to 
take  leave,  and,  with  a  pleasant  "  Au  revoir  "  to 
both,  he  turned  and  left  the  room. 

"  A  French-talking,  phrase-turning  dandy ! " 
said  Charley,  as  soon  as  his  back  was  turned. 
"  I  wonder  that  you  can  tolerate  such  a  man, 
Margaret." 

"  It  would  be  interesting  to  ascertain  his 
opinion  of  you,"  returned  Margaret.  "If  he 
puts  no  higher  estimate  on  your  conduct  on 
this  occasion  than  I  do,  perhaps  it  is  as  well 
for  us  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  it." 

"  And  do  you  suppose  I  care  one  penny  for 
his  opinion?  If  you  do,  you  are  much  mis 
taken.  I  was  obliged  to  give  my  address  when 
he  asked  for  it,  but  I  hope  he'll  not  trouble 
himself  to  call.  I  have  no  desire  to  improve 
his  acquaintance." 

"  And  yet  you  might  find  it  not  only  pleas- 


Across  the  Chasm.  255 

ant  but  profitable,"  said  Margaret.  "There 
are  many  things  that  you  might,  with  great 
benefit,  learn  from  him." 

"Upon  my  word,  Margaret,  this  is  a  little 
too  much,"  exclaimed  Somers.  "You  have 
abandoned  and  repudiated  your  own  people  in 
a  very  short  while,  when  you  can  talk  of  my 
learning  from  a  conceited  Yankee  fop  like 
that." 

"  It  isn't  the  first  time  I've  advised  you  to 
take  lessons  from  the  Yankees,"  said  Mar 
garet  ;  "  and  as  to  Mr.  Gaston's  being  conceited, 
I  really  think  he's  less  so  than  you  are,  Char 
ley,  though  he  knows  much  more.  As  to  his 
being  a  Yankee — well,  yes,  he  is  a  Yankee,  as 
we  should  say,  and  he's  a  very  capable  and 
accomplished  one.  And  as  to  the  third  point, 
of  his  being  a  dandy,  you  know  very  well  he  is 
simply  a  remarkably  well-dressed  man,  whose 
appearance  in  your  heart  you  admire,  in  spite 
of  your  tall  talking.  But  what's  the  use  of  all 
this  ?  It  isn't  dress,  nor  nationality,  nor  de 
portment  even,  that  makes  the  man.  Super- 


256  Across  the  Chasm. 

ficially,  you  two  are  very  unlike,  but  I  think 
the  discrepancy  as  to  your  real  natures  is  by 
no  means  so  great.  You  are  a  pair  of  true  and 
honorable  gentlemen  at  heart — at  least,  I  be 
lieve  Mr.  Gaston  to  be  such,  and  I  know  you 
are,  Charley." 

She  spoke  in  a  tone  of  great  gentleness,  for 
she  knew  that,  before  this  interview  ended,  she 
must  say  words  which  would  bruise  his  poor 
heart  cruelly,  and  it  was  a  kind  and  honest 
heart,  which  had  long  cherished  for  her  a  true 
and  steadfast  devotion  By  degrees  she  led 
him  on  to  a  quieter  mood,  and  spoke  to  him 
gravely  and  earnestly  of  their  future  lives— his 
and  hers — which,  as  she  gently  tried  to  show 
him,  must  needs  lie  apart.  He  had  heard  her 
utter  these  sad  words  before,  but  there  was  a 
difference — an  absolute  resolve  in  looks  and 
tones  that  compelled  him  to  realize  that  this 
time  they  were  final.  And  yet  she  had  never 
been  so  gentle  and  so  kind. 

"I  think  too  highly  of  you,  Charley,"  she 
said,  when  their  interview  was  drawing  to  a 


Across  the  Chasm.  257 

close,  "  to  believe  that  you  will  let  this  feeling 
for  me  ruin  your  life.  There  is  so  much  a 
man  may  do !  The  very  thought  of  it  is  tanta 
lizing  to  a  woman  sometimes.  Oh,  Charley,  be 
in  earnest.  It  is  all  you  lack.  Bo  something 
— no  matter  what,  so  it  is  work,  and  do  it  faith 
fully  and  well.  I  think  that,  in  itself,  would 
make  you  almost  happy.  But  don't  think 
about  happiness.  Indeed,  I  think  that  does 
not  signify  so  very  much.  Think  only  of  filling 
your  place  in  the  world  and  doing  your  duty  to 
God  and  man,  and  happiness  will  come  of 
itself." 

When  she  sent  him  from  her  at  last,  the 
hope  which  had  until  now  lived  in  his  bosom 
was  quite,  quite  dead,  never  to  revive  again ; 
and  yet,  with  the  relinquishment  of  that  hope, 
a  new  life  seemed  to  spring  up  within  him, 
which  made  him  resolve,  before  he  left  her 
presence,  that  he  would  win  her  approval 
though  he  could  never  win  her  love.  He 
knew  he  could  not  feel  th^at  he  had  ever  pos 
sessed  her  entire  approbation,  and  it  was  well 
17 


258  Across  the  Chasm. 

worth  striving  for — better,  he  said  to  himself, 
as  many  another  good  man  has  said,  in  those 
first  moments  of  sad  renunciation,  than  an 
other  woman's  love. 

That  evening  Charley  Somers  formed  a  sud 
den  resolution.  He  would  not  go  back  to  the 
South  and  the  old  stagnating  life,  which  had 
already  made  its  sad  impress  upon  his  mind 
and  character.  He  would  set  out  at  once  to 
South  America,  to  join  some  resolute  fellows 
who  were  friends  of  his,  who  had  gone  to  seek 
their  fortunes,  and  had  often  urged  him  to 
come  to  them.  He  did  not  see  Margaret  again, 
but  wrote  her  a  manly  note  of  farewell,  over 
which  she  shed  tears  enough  to  have  recalled 
him  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  if,  by  ill-luck, 
he  could  have  seen  them. 

It  happened  that  Louis  Gaston,  chancing  to 
meet  her  on  her  way  to  her  room  with  this  let 
ter,  which  she  had  just  been  reading,  open  in 
her  hand,  saw  her  tearful  eyes  and  pale,  dis 
tressed  face  ;  he  further  noted  traces  of  weep 
ing  that  would  have  escaped  a  superficial 


Across  the  Chasm.  259 

observer,  when  she  appeared  at  dinner  an  hour 
later.  He  could  not  help  associating  these 
signs  with  Mr.  Somers,  and  when  he  took 
occasion  to  mention  the  latter's  name,  in 
speaking  to  Mrs.  Gaston  after  dinner,  he  was 
scarcely  surprised  when  she  informed  him 
that  she  had  heard,  through  Margaret,  that 
Mr.  Somers  had  already  left  for  South  America, 
to  be  gone  indefinitely. 

"He  goes  to  seek  his  fortune,"  said  Mrs. 
Gaston ;  "  therefore  I  say  his  return  is  indefi 
nite." 

"And  if  he  finds  it,"  said  Louis  Gaston  to 
himself,  "and  the  girl  he  loves  consents  to 
share  it  with  him,  a  man  might  well  envy  him. 
And  if  she  consents  not,  what  will  the  fortune 
avail  him  ?  It  may  be  that  she  has  already 
consented !  Most  likely  the  sweet  pledge  has 
been  given,  and  he  goes  to  seek  his  fortune 
with  the  knowledge  that  her  hopes  and  fears 
are  entwined  about  him.  What  mightn't  a  man 
accomplish  with  such  a  reward  as  his  in 
view  ?  " 


260  Across  the  Chasm. 

These  reflections  passed  through  his  mind, 
as  he  sat  quietly  on  one  side  of  the  room 
watching  Miss  Trevennon  as  she  sat  talking  to 
his  brother,  only  her  fair,  sweet  profile  turned 
toward  him,  and  a  slightly  distressed  look  on 
her  face,  which  his  searching  eyes  alone  dis 
covered. 


CHAPTEB  XVHL 

A  FEW  days  after  Christmas,  as  Margaret 
was  in  her  room,  writing  one  of  her  fre 
quent  long  letters  home,  Mr.  Decourcy's  card 
was  brought  to  her.  It  was  with  a  strong  feel 
ing  of  reluctance  that  she  went  down  to  him, 
and  she  stopped  at  Mrs.  Gaston's  door,  hoping 
her  cousin  would  accompany  her.  Mrs.  Gas- 
ton,  however,  was  lying  on  the  lounge,  reading 
a  novel,  and  she  declared  herself  to  be  too  tired 
to  stir  ;  so  Margaret  was  obliged  to  go  down 
alone. 

After  her  first  impulse  had  died  away,  she 
had  concluded  to  keep  the  locket,  as  she  felt 
she  had  no  reason  to  take  so  extreme  a  step  as 
to  return  it.  Nothing,  however,  would  induce 
her  to  wear  Alan  Decourcy's  picture,  and  that 
she  meant  to  let  him  know. 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Margaret  had 
spoken  to  her  cousin  since  witnessing  the 


262  Across  the  Chasm. 

scene  with  Mrs.  Vere  in  the  conservatory,  and 
the  recollection  of  that  scene  necessarily 
threw  a  certain  amount  of  constraint  into  her 
manner. 

Not  observing  this,  however,  Mr.  Decourcy 
came  toward  her,  with  some  words  of  ardent 
greeting,  and  when  she  extended  her  hand  he 
made  a  motion  to  raise  it  to  his  lips.  With  a 
movement  that  was  almost  rough  in  its  sud 
denness,  Margaret  snatched  her  hand  away. 

"  Margaret !  "What  can  this  mean  ?  "  said 
Decourcy,  in  a  tone  of  surprised  reproach. 

Miss  Trevennon  gave  a  little,  constrained 
laugh. 

"  I  don't  like  that  sort  of  thing,"  she  said, 
lightly.  "  Don't  do  it  again.  It's  unpleasant 
to  me." 

"  Forgive  me,"  he  answered,  with  the  utmost 
gentleness,  untinged  by  any  shade  of  pique. 
"  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  am  very  sorry." 

"  Oh,  never  mind  !  It  doesn't  matter,"  said 
Margaret,  hurriedly.  "  Thank  you  so  much 
for  the  locket,  Alan.  It  is  lovely — far  lovelier 


Across  the  Chasm.  263 

than  I  have  any  idea  of,  I  dare  say,  for  I  am 
so  ignorant  about  such  things." 

"I  hoped  it  would  please  you,"  he  said. 
"  You  saw  the  picture  I  ventured  to  put  in  it  ? 
And  will  you  consent  to  wear  it  ?  " 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  she  said,  some 
what  uneasily.  "  It  was  very  kind  of  you  to 
put  it  in,  but  I  never  have  worn  any  one's 
picture.  I  know  you're  a  cousin,  and  all  that, 
but  I  think,  if  you  don't  mind,  I'll  take  the 
picture  out  and  put  it " 

But  he  interrupted  her. 

"  It  isn't  because  I  am  your  cousin,  Mar 
garet,  that  I  want  you  to  wear  my  picture,"  he 
said.  "  On  the  contrary,  I  hope  for  the  time 
when  you  will  forget  that  relationship  in  a 
nearer  and  tenderer  one ' 

"  Alan !  Stop.  You  must  not  go  on,"  said 
Margaret,  with  sudden  vehemence.  "  There 
can  be  no  thought  of  a  nearer  relationship  be 
tween  us  at  any  time.  If  we  are  to  be  friends 
at  all,  this  subject  must  not  be  mentioned 
again." 


264:  Across  the  Chasm. 

"  Forgive  me  ;  I  have  startled  you,"  lie  said. 
"  I  meant  not  to  do  that.  I  do  not  want  to 
constrain  you  or  to  force  this  hope  of  mine 
upon  you  too  suddenly,  but  I  cannot  lightly 
give  it  up.  It  has  been  with  me,  during  all  my 
wanderings  to  and  fro — if  not  the  definite  hope, 
at  least  an  appreciation  of  the  fact  that  my 
sweet  cousin  was  endowed,  more  than  any  wom 
an  whom  I  had  known,  with  all  the  attributes 
and  qualities  a  man  could  desire  in  his  com 
panion  Joi  life.  I  cannot,  even  yet,  quite 
abandon  the  hope  that  I  may  yet  induce  you 
to  accept  my  devotion." 

Margaret  might  have  borne  the  rest,  but  this 
word  galled  her. 

"  Devotion ! "  she  said  mockingly,  with  a 
little  scornful  laugh.  "  Oh,  Alan ! " 

"What  do  you  mean?  Why  should  you 
speak  to  me  in  that  tone  ?  It  is  unfair,  Mar 
garet.  It  is  not  like  you." 

"I  mean,"  she  said,  growing  grave,  and 
speaking  with  a  sudden,  earnest  vehemence, 
"  that  you  degrade  the  word  devotion,  when 


Across  the  Chasm.  265 

you  call  the  feeling  you  have  to  offer  me  by 
that  name.  I  know  too  well  what  real  devotion 
means.  I  have  too  just  an  estimate  of  its 
goodness  and  strength  to  call  the  cool  regard 
you  have  for  me  devotion !  A  cool  regard  be 
tween  cousins  does  well  enough,  but  that  feel 
ing  in  connection  with  marriage  is  another 
thing,  and  I  had  better  tell  you,  here  and  now, 
that  I  would  live  my  life  out  unloved  and 
alone,  sooner  than  I  would  wrong  myself  by 
accepting  such  a  counterfeit  devotion  as  this 
that  you  offer  me." 

Decourcy,  who  was,  of  course,  entirely  igno 
rant  of  the  ground  on  which  Margaret's  strong 
feeling  was  based,  heard  her  with  amazement. 
The  only  explanation  that  suggested  itself  was 
that  some  one,  who  happened  to  be  aware  of 
his  rather  well-known  affair  with  Mrs.  Yere, 
had  informed  his  cousin.  It  was,  therefore, 
with  a  tone  of  injured  gentleness,  that  he  said  : 

"Margaret,  you  surprise  and  grieve  me  in 
expressibly  by  such  words  as  those.  I  can  only 
account  for  them  by  the  possibility  of  some 


266  Across  the  Chasm. 

one's  having  given  you  false  ideas  about  me. 
There  are  always  people  to  do  these  things, 
unfortunately,"  he  went  on,  with  a  little  sigh 
of  patient  resignation  ;  "  but  you  should  have 
hesitated  before  believing  a  story  to  my  dis 
advantage.  I  would  have  been  more  just  to 
you." 

"  There  has  been  no  story  told,"  said  Mar 
garet.  "  If  there  were  any  stories  to  tell,  they 
have  been  kept  from  me.  Do  not  let  us  pursue 
this  topic,  Alan,  and  when  we  drop  it  now,  let 
it  be  forever.  It  is  quite  out  of  the  question 
that  we  can  ever  be  more  to  each  other  than 
we  are  now." 

"  As  you  have  said  it,"  he  replied,  "  my  only 
course  is  a  silent  acquiescence.  Painful  and 
disappointing  as  such  a  decision  is  to  me,  since 
it  is  your  decision  I  have  no  word  to  say 
against  it.  But  with  regard  to  the  lightness 
and  insincerity  you  have  charged  me  with,  I 
have  a  right  to  speak  and  I  must." 

Reassured  by  Margaret's  assertion  that  no 
one  had  maligned  him  to  her,  he  felt  strong  to 


Across  the  Chasm.  267 

defend  himself,  and  it  was,  therefore,  in  the 
most  urgent  tone  that  he  said  : 

"  I  feel  it  hard,  Margaret,  very  hard,  that  you 
should  harbor  such  opinions  of  me,  when  my 
thoughts  of  you  have  been  all  tenderness  and 
trust.  Was  it  not  enough  that  you  should  de 
prive  me,  at  one  blow,  of  the  hope  that  I  have 
cherished  as  my  dearest  wish  for  the  future, 
without  adding  to  the  bitterness  of  that  disap 
pointment,  the  still  keener  one  of  feeling  that 
I  must  endure  your  contempt  ?  " 

There  was  no  doubt  of  his  earnestness  now. 
He  was  fired  by  a  genuine  interest,  and  he 
longed  to  recover  the  good  opinion  of  this 
spirited,  high-souled  girl  more  than  he  had 
longed  for  anything  for  years. 

"You  were  never  unreasonable,  Margaret," 
he  went  on,  "  and  therefore  I  feel  sure  I  may 
rely  upon  you  to  give  me  your  reasons  for  this 
change  toward  me — for  you  will  not  deny  that 
you  are  changed." 

"  Why  talk  about  it,  Alan  ?  I  like  you  very 
well.  I  suppose  you're  as  much  to  be  believed 


268  Across  the  Chasm. 

in  as  other  men.  The  mistake  I  made  was  in 
supposing  you  to  be  superior  to  them.  You 
would  not  like  the  idea  of  being  on  a  pedestal, 
I  know ;  so  be  content,  and  let  us  say  no  more 
about  the  matter." 

"Excuse  me,  if  I  cannot  consent,"  he  an 
swered,  gravely.  "  It  is  no  light  matter  to  me 
to  lose  your  regard ;  and  when  you  remember 
that  I  have  long  hoped  to  make  you  my  wife, 
some  day,  I  think  you  will  feel  that  that  fact 
creates  an  indebtedness  on  your  part  to  me, 
and  gives  me  the  right  to  demand  an  explana 
tion  from  you." 

His  tone  of  conscious  rectitude  and  the  re 
proachful  sadness  of  the  eyes  he  turned  upon 
her,  made  Margaret  so  indignant  and  angry 
that  she  said,  with  some  heat : 

"  We  are  playing  a  farce,  Alan,  and  it  had 
better  come  to  an  end.  I  am  perfectly  willing 
to  accord  you  all  the  credit  you  deserve.  You 
are  a  charming  man  of  the  world,"  she  added, 
falling  into  a  lighter  tone,  "  and  I  admire  your 
manners  immensely.  I  am  perfectly  willing 


Across  the  Chasm.  269 

to  continue  to  be  on  good  terms  with  you, 
but  there  must  be  certain  limitations  to  our 
friendship.  I  could  not  consent  to  a  return 
to  the  old  intimacy,  and  you  must  not  expect 
it." 

"  But  why  ?  "  he  said,  urgently.  "  I  insist 
that  you  tell  me.  Margaret,  remember  how 
important  this  is  to  me ;  remember  how  I 
love  you ! " 

And  in  a  certain  way  his  words  were  true 
He  felt  himself,  at  this  moment,  really  in  love, 
Now  that  he  found  himself  likely  to  lose  her, 
this  handsome,  spirited,  honest-hearted  girl, 
grew  inestimably  more  dear  to  him.  He  longed 
to  be  able  to  control  her — to  settle  it,  then  and 
there,  that  she  was  to  be  his  own.  So  it  was 
with  the  fire  of  real  feeling  in  his  eyes  that  he 
drew  nearer  and  eagerly  sought  her  averted 
gaze,  and  even  ventured  to  take  her  hand. 
But  the  moment  she  met  that  look,  and  felt 
that  touch,  Margaret  sprang  to  her  feet  and 
half  involuntarily  took  her  position  behind  a 
large  chair,  where  she  stood,  resting  upon  its 


270  Across  the  Chasm. 

high  back  and  looking  at  him  with  an  expres 
sion  of  defiant  scorn. 

"  Margaret,"  he  said,  rising  too,  and  bending 
upon  her  again  that  eager  look  that  galled  her 
so,  "do  you  shrink  from  my  mere  look  and 
touch?  There  must  be  a  reason  for  your 
manner,  and  that  reason  I  must  and  will 
know." 

"  You  shall !  "  she  answered,  excitedly,  una 
ble  to  bear  his  tone  of  injured  superiority  any 
longer.  "  I  witnessed  a  scene  between  you  and 
Mrs.  Vere  in  the  conservatory  at  the  ball  that 
night,  that  made  me  despise  you.  It  revealed 
your  true  nature  to  me,  at  a  glance,  and  I  am 
glad  of  it.  I  should  not  have  spoken  of  it.  I 
could  have  managed  to  hold  my  peace  and 
meet  you  calmly  as  a  casual  acquaintance  ;  but 
that  you  would  not  have.  But  when  you  pre 
sume  to  offer  me  what  you  are  pleased  to  call 
your  devotion,  with  the  memory  of  that  scene 
in  my  mind,  I  can  be  silent  no  longer.  And 
now,"  she  went  on,  after  an  instant's  pause,  "  I 
have  spoken,  and  we  understand  each  other. 


Across  the  Chasm.  271 

Let  the  whole  subject  be  dropped  just  here, 
forever." 

She  had  avoided  looking  at  him,  as  she 
spoke,  and  even  now  she  hesitated  to  meet  his 
eyes.  There  was  a  moment's  deep  stillness, 
and  then,  to  the  relief  of  both,  Cousin  Eu 
genia's  silken  robes  were  heard  sweeping 
down  the  staircase. 

She  entered,  and  the  room's  whole  atmos 
phere  changed.  Her  graceful  toilet,  well- 
turned  phrases  and  studious  correctness  of  de 
meanor,  recalled  the  usages  of  the  world  in 
which  they  lived,  and  Margaret  and  Decourcy 
resumed  their  seats  and  began  to  talk  of  snow 
storms  and  sleigh-rides,  following  Cousin  Eu 
genia's  lead. 

When  Margaret  presently  glanced  at  Mr. 
Decourcy,  she  saw  that  he  was  very  pale,  but 
that  was  all.  He  had  never  been  more  self- 
possessed. 

When  he  rose  to  go,  Mrs.  Gaston,  seeing  that 
something  was  amiss,  discreetly  walked  over 
to  the  window  for  a  moment,  and  Decourcy, 


272  Across  the  Chasm. 

taking  a  step  toward  Margaret,  said  in  a  low 
tone  : 

"You  have  been  very  hard  to  me,  Margaret, 
and  have  judged  me  hastily.  The  time  may 
come  when  you  will  see  that  it  is  so,  and  for 
that  time  I  shall  wait." 

He  said  good-bye  then,  without  offering  his 
hand,  and  Margaret,  to  her  amazement,  found 
herself  feeling  like  a  culprit.  There  was  such 
an  air  of  gentle  magnanimousness  about  Mr. 
Decourcy,  that  it  made  her  feel  quite  contrite. 
In  exciting  which  sensation  Mr.  Decourcy  had 
obtained  exactly  the  result  he  had  aimed  at. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

IT  was  two  evenings  prior  to  the  day  fixed  for 
Miss  Trevennon's  return  to  her  home.  Jan 
uary,  with  its  multifarious  engagements,  had 
passed,  and  February  was  well  advanced.  It 
had  been  a  very  happy  time  to  Margaret,  and, 
now  that  her  visit  was  almost  at  an  end,  she 
found  herself  much  prone  to  reverie,  and  con 
stantly  falling  into  quiet  fits  of  musing.  There 
was  much  pleasant  food  for  thought  in  looking 
back,  but  an  instinct  constantly  warned  her 
against  looking  forward. 

On  this  particular  evening,  Miss  Trevennon 
and  Louis  Gaston  were  alone.  Cousin  Eugenia 
had  gone  to  her  room,  and  General  Gaston  was 
out.  Margaret  had  observed  that  she  quite 
often  found  herself  alone  with  Mr.  Gaston 
lately,  and  she  even  fancied  sometimes  that 
Cousin  Eugenia  contrived  to  have  it  so.  She 

smiled  to  think  of  the  multiplicity  of  Cousin 
18 


274  Across  the  Chasm. 

Eugenia's  little  manoeuvres,  and  the  book  she 
had  been  reading  fell  to  her  lap.  She  glanced 
toward  Louis,  sitting  some  little  distance  off 
at  the  other  side  of  the  fire-place ;  but  he  was 
quite  lost  to  view  behind  the  opened  sheet  of 
the  Evening  Star.  So  Miss  Trevennon  fixed  her 
eyes  on  the  fire,  and  fell  into  a  fit  of  musing. 

She  was  looking  her  best  to-night.  There 
had  been  guests  at  dinner,  and  she  was  dressed 
accordingly.  Black  suited  her  better  than 
anything  else,  and  the  costume  of  black  silk 
and  lace  which  she  wore  now  was  exquisitely 
becoming.  Her  rounded,  slender  arms  were 
bare,  and  a  snowy  patch  of  her  lovely  neck  was 
visible  above  the  lace  of  her  square  corsage. 
Her  long  black  draperies  fell  richly  away  to 
one  side,  over  the  Turkey  rug,  and  as  she 
rested  lightly  on  the  angle  of  her  little  high 
heel,  with  one  foot,  in  its  dainty  casing  of 
black  silk  stocking  and  low-cut  slipper,  lightly 
laid  across  the  other,  her  graceful,  easy  atti 
tude  and  elegant  toilet  made  her  a  striking  fig 
ure,  apart  from  the  distinguished  beauty  of 


Across  the  Chasm.  275 

her  face.  Louis  Gaston,  who  had  noiselessly 
lowered  his  paper,  took  in  every  detail  of  face, 
figure,  attitude  and  costume,  with  a  sense  of 
keen  appreciation,  and,  as  he  continued  to 
look,  a  sudden  smile  of  merriment  curved  his 
lips.  Miss  Trevennon,  looking  up,  met  this 
smile,  and  smiled  in  answer  to  it. 

"What  is  it?"  she  said.  "What  were  you 
thinking  of?" 

"  May  I  tell  you  ?  "  he  asked,  still  smiling. 

"Yes;  please  do." 

"  I  was  recalling  the  fact  that,  when  you  first 
arrived — before  I  had  seen  you — I  used  to 
speak  of  you  to  Eugenia  as  'The  Importa 
tion.'  It  is  no  wonder  that  I  smile  now  at 
the  remembrance." 

"It  was  very  impertinent,  undoubtedly," 
said  Margaret ;  "  but  I  won't  refuse  to  forgive 
you,  if  you,  in  your  turn,  will  agree  to  for 
give  me  my  impertinences,  which  have  been 
many." 

"  It  would  be  necessary  to  recall  them  first," 
he  said,  "  and  that  I  am  unable  to  do." 


276  Across  the  Chasm. 

"I  have  been  dictatorial  and  critical  and 
aggressive,  and  I  have  had  no  right  to  be  any 
of  these.  I  have  magnified  my  own  people  per 
sistently,  in  talking  to  you,  and  depreciated 
yours.  You  mustn't  take  me  as  a  specimen  of 
Southern  courtesy.  Wait  till  you  see  my 
father.  I'm  a  degenerate  daughter." 

"I  hope  I  may  see  him  some  time.  Know 
ing  you  has  made  me  wish  to  know  your  peo 
ple  better.  If  I  ask  you,  some  day,  to  let  me 
come  and  make  their  acquaintance,  what  will 
you  say?  " 

"  Come,  and  welcome,"  said  Margaret,  heart 
ily  ;  and  then,  as  a  consciousness  of  the  warmth 
of  her  tone  dawned  upon  her,  she  added : 
"We  are  a  hospitable  race,  you  know,  and 
hold  it  a  sacred  duty  to  entertain  strangers. 
But  I  fear  you  would  find  us  disappointing  in 
a  great  many  ways.  In  so  many  points,  and 
these  very  essential  ones,  we  are  inferior  to 
you.  If  only  we  could  both  get  rid  of  our 
prejudices !  Just  think  what  a  people  we 
might  be,  if  we  were  kneaded  together,  each 


Across  the  Chasm.  277 

willing  to  assimilate  what  is  best  in  the  other ! 
But  I  suppose  that  is  a  Utopian  dream.  As 
far  as  my  small  observation  goes,  it  seems  to 
me  that  we  in  the  South  see  things  on  a 
broader  basis,  and  that  a  gentleman's  claim  to 
meet  another  gentleman  on  equal  terms  rests 
upon  something  higher  and  stronger  than  tri 
fling  technicalities  such  as  using  printed  visit 
ing-cards,  or  calling  a  dress-coat  '  a  swallow 
tail,'  for  instance ! "  she  said,  with  twinkling 
eyes.  "  I  know  you've  had  those  two  scores 
against  my  compatriots  on  your  mind.  Now, 
haven't  you  ?  " 

"  I  will  wipe  them  off  instantly,  if  I  have," 
he  said,  laughing.  "  I  feel  amiably  disposed 
to-night.  I  think  it  is  the  prospect  of  your 
departure  that  has  softened  me.  I  hope  you 
are  one  little  bit  sorry  to  leave  us.  It  would 
be  but  a  small  return  for  the  colossal  regret 
we  feel  at  parting  from  you." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  she  said,  with  her  eyes  fixed 
on  the  fire — "very,  very  sorry." 

"Beally?"  he  said  quickly,  not  daring  to 


278  Across  the  Chasm. 

give  voice  to  the  delight  with  which  her  fer 
vently  uttered  admission  filled  him. 

"  Yes,  really.  You  have  all  been  so  good  to 
me.  I  think  General  Gaston  has  even  decided 
to  forgive  me  for  being  a  Southerner,  since  I 
could  not  possibly  help  it,  which  is  a  higher 
tribute  than  the  regard  of  Cousin  Eugenia  and 
yourself,  perhaps,  as  you  had  no  prejudices  to 
overcome." 

"You  have  paid  me  the  greatest  possible 
compliment,"  said  Louis.  <¥I  would  rather 
you  should  say  that  than  anything,  almost. 
You  must  admit,  however,  that  at  one  time  you 
would  not  have  said  it." 

"  That  is  quite  true ;  but  I  think  now  that 
I  did  you  injustice." 

"No,  I  don't  think  you  did.  It  was  true  at 
one  time  that  I  was  very  prejudiced,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  it  is  true  yet ;  but  you've  worked 
wonders  with  me,  Miss  Trevennon.  I  do  think 
I  see  things  more  fairly  than  I  did.  I  had  a 
great  deal  of  hereditary  and  inherent  prejudice 
to  overcome,  and  I  think  I  have  got  rid  of  a  good 


Across  the,  Chasm.  279 

portion  of  it,  thanks  to  you !  Who  knows  but, 
if  you  could  have  kept  me  near  you,  you  might 
have  reformed  me  yet?  Of  course,  I  should 
not  venture  to  criticise  a  decision  of  yours,  but 
when  Eugenia  urged  you  so,  the  other  day,  to 
stay  a  month  longer,  do  you  know,  I  almost  held 
my  breath  to  hear  what  you  would  say  ?  And 
your  positive  refusal  quite  cut  me.  It's  rather 
hard  on  a  man,  to  learn  that  his  education  is 
to  be  cut  short  at  one  fell  blow  like  that ;  and 
I  am  in  horrible  fear  of  retrogression." 

"  Oh,  don't  laugh  at  me,  Mr.  Gaston,"  said 
Margaret,  rather  confusedly.  "  I  am  afraid  I 
must  often  have  seemed  to  you  conceited  and 
pert.  I  believe  I  am,  a  little.  Even  my  dear 
father  tells  me  so,  now  and  then." 

"How  you  love  your  home  and  your  par 
ents  ! "  said  Louis,  looking  at  her  very  gently. 
"  I  have  so  often  observed  it.  Is  it  a  provincial 
trait  ?  I  never  saw  a  stronger  feeling  than  the 
one  you  have  for  your  household  gods." 

"Yes, I  do  love  them,"  Margaret  said;  "and 
I  can  give  no  stronger  proof  of  it  than  that 


280  Across  the  Cliasm. 

Cousin  Eugenia's  invitation  does  not  tempt  me 
to  remain  longer  away  from  them." 

"And  do  they  love  you  very  much — or  not?  " 
he  asked,  looking  into  her  face  and  smiling 
brightly. 

"  Oh  yes,"  she  answered,  smiling  too ;  "  as  if 
I  were  perfection." 

"I  almost  think  you  are,"  he  replied.  "I 
said  to  myself,  from  the  first,  'She  is  well- 
named  Margaret,  for  she's  just  a  pearl.' ' 

Simply  and  quietly  as  he  said  it,  there  was 
something  in  his  tone  that  thrilled  her  with  a 
sudden  emotion.  She  dared  not  raise  her  eyes 
to  his,  and  so  she  turned  away  her  flushed  face 
as  she  answered,  with  an  effort  to  speak  as 
usual : 

"  I  am  named  for  my  mother.  Papa  calls  me 
Daisy,  to  distinguish  us." 

"  I  think  that  suits  you  almost  as  well,"  he 
said.  "  Your  feelings  are  so  fresh — not  a  whiff 
of  their  perfume  brushed  away  yet.  What  a 
thing  it  would  be  for  one  of  the  careworn, 
weary  worldlings  one  meets  every  day,  to  have 


Across  the  Chasm.  281 

your  heart  in  her  bosom  for  just  one  hour ! 
And  oh,  what  a  revelation  of  falseness  and  hol- 
lowness  and  envy  it  would  be  to  you  to  see  into 
a  heart  like  that !  God  protect  you  from  it, 
Margaret !  I  am  almost  glad  that  you  are  go 
ing  back  to  that  quiet  old  country-place.  It 
gives  me  a  pang  merely  to  think  of  the  possi 
bility  of  your  being  contaminated  by  the  world. 
I  could  not  bear  to  face  the  thought  that  the 
pearl  might  lose  its  pureness  and  the  daisy 
wither.  I  have  tried  that  no  one  shall  suspect 
the  fact,  but  you  don't  know  how  I  have 
watched  over  you.  It  was  presumptuous  of 
me,  perhaps,  but  now  that  you  know  it,  do  you 
forgive  me  ?  " 

Poor  Margaret !  She  made  a  brave  struggle 
for  self-mastery,  but  it  was  only  half  success 
ful.  Apart  from  his  words,  there  was  some 
thing  in  his  looks  and  tones  that  made  what  he 
had  said  a  revelation  to  her.  There  could  be 
but  one  meaning  in  those  fervent,  tender  eyes, 
and  the  sound  of  the  caressing  voice. 

"  You  once  refused  to  shake  hands  with  me," 


282  Across  the  Chasm. 

Louis  went  on,  presently.  "Do  you  remem 
ber  ?  I  was  in  disgrace  then,  but  I  can't  help 
hoping  I'm  restored.  Will  you  give  me  your 
hand  now,  in  token  of  full  pardon  for  the 
past?" 

He  had  taken  a  seat  very  near  to  her,  and 
when  he  extended  his  hand  she  laid  hers  in 
it,  without  moving  from  her  place.  He  held  it 
close,  for  an  instant,  and  then,  stooping,  laid 
his  lips  upon  it. 

Margaret  suffered  the  caress  in  silence. 
She  felt  nerveless  and  irresponsible,  but  her 
whole  nature  responded  to  these  signs  of  ten 
derness  from  him.  She  knew  his  heart  was 
seeking  hers,  which  was  ready  to  answer,  at  a 
touch.  She  felt  confused  and  tremulous,  but 
very  happy  and  contented  and  safe,  and  when 
she  presently  withdrew  her  hand  from  Louis', 
she  gave  him,  in  its  stead,  a  look  of  the  deepest 
confidence  and  kindness. 

"There  is  something  I  want  to  tell  you, 
Margaret "  he  began,  and  while  she  was  al 
most  holding  her  breath  to  listen,  the  sound  of 


Across  the  Chasm.  283 

General  Gaston's  key  was  heard  in  the  lock, 
and,  with  a  quick  motion,  they  moved  apart. 

As  Louis  stood  up  and  turned  to  meet  his 
brother,  Margaret  sank  back  in  her  seat  with 
a  quick  sigh.  The  interruption  was  almost  a 
relief.  The  sharp  strain  of  this  new-born  hope 
and  doubt  and  wonder  was  a  pain  to  her,  and 
she  was  glad  to  wait.  The  joy  that  had  been 
thus  held  out  to  her  was  still  to  be  secured,  and 
she  felt  a  happy  safety  in  the  bright  future 
before  her. 

As  for  Louis,  his  pulses  thrilled  with  tri 
umphant  hope.  All  his  doubts  and  misgivings 
melted  like  snow  beneath  the  sweet,  confiding 
looks  and  tones  that  Margaret  had  vouchsafed 
to  him  this  evening.  He  forgot  Charley  Som- 
ers  and  all  his  old  mistrust  concerning  him, 
and  felt  happy  in  the  present  and  almost  se 
cure  of  the  future.  His  ardent  blood  was 
stirred  as  it  had  never  been  before.  If  Mrs. 
Gaston  could  have  looked  into  his  heart  to 
night,  she  could  never  again  have  called  him 
cold  and  unemotional ! 


CHAPTER  XX. 

AMES  &  Gaston  had  been  awarded  the 
designs  for  some  important  buildings,  to 
be  erected  at  a  distance  of  a  few  miles  from 
Washington,  and  it  was  in  connection  with 
this  matter  that  Louis  Gaston,  the  morning 
after  the  interview  with  Miss  Trevennon,  just 
recorded,  stepped  into  a  street-car  which  was 
to  take  him  within  a  short  distance  of  the  site 
of  these  buildings. 

As  he  glanced  around  on  entering,  he  met  the 
smiling  and  enticing  gaze  of  Mrs.  Vere.  There 
was  a  vacant  seat  beside  her,  but  he  did  not 
choose  to  take  it.  His  mind,  since  last  night's 
episode,  had  been  full  of  memories  and  antici 
pations  with  which  the  very  thought  of  Mrs. 
Vere  was  discordant.  So  he  merely  raised  his 
hat,  in  answer  to  her  greeting,  and  seated  him 
self  at  some  distance  from  her,  near  the  door, 
turning  his  face  to  the  window.  But,  as  the 


Across  the  Chasm.  285 

Car  went  on  toward  the  suburbs,  the  passen 
gers  gradually  departed,  and  he  presently  be 
came  aware  of  the  fact  that  only  Mrs.  Vere  and 
himself  remained.  Even  then  his  aversion  to 
an  interview  with  her,  in  his  present  mood, 
was  so  strong  that  he  kept  his  place,  choosing 
to  ignore  the  fact  of  their  being  left  alone  to 
gether.  In  a  very  few  minutes,  however,  Mrs. 
Vere  crossed  to  his  side,  saying,  with  an  airy 
little  laugh  : 

"As  the  mountain  won't  come  to  Mahom- 

Louis,  of  course,  turned  at  once  and  resigned 
himself  to  the  inevitable  interview. 

"To  what  fortunate  circumstance  am  I  to 
attribute  the  honor  of  Mrs.  Vere's  society,  so 
far  outside  the  pale  of  civilization  ?  "  he  said, 
adopting  the  bantering  tone  he  usually  made 
use  of  in  talking  to  Mrs.  Vere,  in  order  to  veil 
his  real  feeling. 

"  I  am  going  out  to  see  the  Temples,"  she 
replied ;  "  I  shall  have  to  walk  from  the  ter 
minus.  It's  such  a  nuisance  having  no  car- 


286  Across  the  Chasm. 

riage,  and  I'm  sure  I  think  I  deserve  one — 
don't  you  ?  But  what  brings  you  out  so  far 
during  business  hours  ?  " 

"Business,"  answered  Gaston.  "I  am 
going  to  spy  out  the  land  for  a  new  building 
enterprise." 

"  What  sort  of  building  enterprise  ?  I 
should  say  a  charming  cottage,  suitable  for  a 
pair  of  domestic  neophytes,  designed  by  the 
architect  for  his  own  occupancy,  if  it  were  not 
that  a  dishevelled  young  Southerner,  with  an 
eccentric  tailor  and  a  beautiful  voice,  stands  in 
the  way  of  that  idea !  I'm  afraid  Miss  Tre- 
vennon,  for  all  her  gentleness,  must  be  rather 
cruel ;  for,  judging  by  superficial  evidences, 
she  has  beguiled  the  wary  Mr.  Gaston  to  the 
point  of  a  futile  hankering  after  Mr.  Somers' 
place.  I  suppose  she  has  had  the  conscience 
to  tell  you  she's  engaged." 

"  Miss  Trevennon  ?  "  said  Louis,  meeting  her 
searching  gaze  without  flinching,  though  his 
heart  gave  a  great  leap  and  then  seemed  to 
stand  still.  "  She  has  not  made  me  her  con- 


Across  tlie  Chasm.  287 

fidant  as  to  her  matrimonial  intentions ;  but  if 
what  you  say  is  true,  young  Somers  is  a  man  I 
well  might  envy,  whether  I  do  or  not." 

He  hated  the  idea  of  seeming  to  discuss 
Margaret  with  this  woman,  and  yet  he  was 
burning  to  hear  more.  He  asked  no  questions, 
feeling  sure  that  he  could  become  possessed  of 
whatever  information  Mrs.  Vere  had,  without 
that  concession  on  his  part. 

"  Oh,  there's  no  doubt  about  its  being  true," 
went  on  Mrs.  Vere.  "  I  happen  to  know  the 
Welfords,  the  people  Mr.  Somers  stayed  with, 
very  well.  Mrs.  Welford  told  me  all  about  it.  It 
seems  this  young  fellow  is  troubled  with  a  cer 
tain  degree  of  impecuniosity,  and  he  had  re 
ceived  an  offer  from  some  people  in  South 
America  to  come  out  and  join  them  in  some 
business  enterprise,  and  so  he  came  on  at 
once  to  consult  Miss  Trevennon ;  and  it  was 
agreed  between  them  that  he  shorld  go.  The 
plan  is  that  he  is  to  return  a  millionnaire  and 
marry  her.  I  wonder  she  hasn't  told  you." 

"  Why  should  she  ?     Ladies  are  apt  to  be 


288  Across  the  Chasm. 

reserved  about  such  matters,  however  garru 
lous  a  man  may  think  proper  to  be,  and  Mr. 
Somers,  for  one,  seems  to  have  been  sufficiently 
communicative." 

"  Oh,  I  suppose  he  only  told  Mrs.  Welford, 
and  she  only  told  me.  You  must  consider  it 
confidential." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Louis ;  "  but  here  is  the 
terminus,  and  we  must  abandon  our  equipage." 

He  walked  with  her  as  far  as  the  Temples' 
place,  which  was  a  very  short  distance  off,  and 
then  he  bowed  and  left  her  with  unbroken 
serenity. 

Mrs.  Vere  was  a  woman  who,  in  point  of  fact, 
was  by  no  means  incapable  of  deep  duplicity, 
but  in  the  present  instance  she  had  been  guilty 
only  of  stating  as  facts  what  Mrs.  Welford  had 
told  her  more  in  the  form  of  conjectures.  She 
had  happened  to  meet  Somers  at  this  friend's 
house  one  evening,  and  had  introduced  the 
topic  of  Miss  Trevennon,  adroitly  plying  the 
young  man  with  questions,  and  had  satisfied 
herself  that  he  was  certainly  in  love  with  and 


Across  the  Chasm.  289 

probably  engaged  to  her.  On  this  basis  she 
and  Mrs.  Welford  had  constructed  the  story 
which  she  told  with  such  confidence  to  Gaston. 

As  for  Louis,  he  made  but  little  headway 
with  his  estimates  and  prospecting  that  morn 
ing.  His  first  impulse  had  been  to  disbelieve 
this  story,  and  the  remembrance  of  Margaret's 
looks  and  tones  as  he  had  talked  with  her  last 
night  made  it  seem  almost  incredible.  But 
then,  as  he  looked  back  into  the  past,  he 
recalled  the  incident  of  the  pressed  flower,  and 
the  emotion  Margaret  had  shown  on  hearing 
Mr.  Somers  sing  that  Christmas  night,  and  the 
long  interview  that  followed  next  morning, 
and,  more  than  all,  the  traces  of  tears  he  had 
afterward  detected ;  and,  as  he  thought  of  all 
these  things,  his  heart  grew  very  heavy. 

He  soon  resolved  that  he  would  go  at  once 
to  Margaret,  and  learn  the  truth  from  her  own 
lips. 

When  he  reached  the  house,  he  found 
Thomas  engaged  in  polishing  the  brasses  of 

the  front  door,  which  stood  partly  open.    Being 
19 


290  Across  the  Chasm. 

informed  by  him  that  Miss  Trevennon  was 
in  the  drawing-room  alone,  he  stepped  softly 
over  the  carpeted  hall  and  entered  the  library. 
From  there  he  could  see  Margaret,  seated  on  a 
low  ottoman  before  the  fire,  her  hands  clasped 
around  her  knees,  and  her  eyes  fixed  medita 
tively  upon  the  glowing  coals.  How  his  young 
blood  leaped  at  the  sight  of  her !  How  lovely 
and  gentle  she  looked !  Was  she  not  the  very 
joy  of  his  heart,  and  delight  of  his  eyes? 
Where  was  another  like  her? 

He  stood  a  moment  silently  observing  her, 
and  then  he  cautiously  drew  nearer,  treading 
with  great  care,  and  shielding  himself  behind  a 
large  screen  that  stood  at  one  side  of  the  fire 
place.  In  this  way  he  was  able  to  come  very 
near  without  having  his  approach  suspected. 
He  meant  to  get  very  close  and  then  to  speak 
her  name,  and  see  if  he  could  call  up  again  the 
sweet,  almost  tender  regard  with  which  she  had 
looked  at  him  last  night.  Somehow,  he  felt 
sure  that  he  should  see  that  look  again.  He 
Lad  half  forgotten  Charley  Somers  and  Mrs. 


Across  the  Chasm.  291 

Vere.  He  kept  his  position  in  silence  a  mo 
ment.  It  was  a  joy  just  to  feel  himself  near 
her,  and  to  know  that  by  just  putting  out  his 
hand  he  might  touch  her.  His  eager  gaze 
was  fixed  upon  her  fair,  sweet  profile,  and 
sought  the  lovely  eyes  which  were  still  gazing 
into  the  fire.  He  could  see  their  musing, 
wistful  look,  and,  as  he  began  to  wonder  what 
it  meant,  those  gentle  eyes  became  suffused 
with  tears.  He  saw  them  rise  and  fill  and 
overflow  the  trembling  lids,  and  fall  upon  a 
letter  in  her  lap.  At  sight  of  that  letter  his 
heart  contracted,  and  a  sudden  pallor  over 
spread  his  face.  He  had  been  so  uncontrolla 
bly  drawn  to  her  that,  in  another  moment,  the 
burning  words  of  love  must  have  been  spoken, 
and  the  eager  arms  outstretched  to  clasp  her 
to  his  heart.  But  this  letter  was  in  a  man's 
handwriting,  and  his  keen  eyes  detected  the 
South  American  stamp  on  the  envelope.  His 
blood  seemed  to  congeal  within  him,  and  his 
face  grew  hard  and  cold. 

He   stepped   backward,    with   an   effort    tc 


292  Across  the  Chasm. 

escape,  but  his  wits  seemed  to  have  deserted 
him ;  he  stumbled  against  a  chair,  and,  at  the 
sound,  Margaret  looked  up.  Oh,  why  were 
his  eyes  so  blindly  turned  away  from  her? 
Why  did  he  not  see  that  ardent,  happy  look 
with  which  she  recognized  him?  Surely  it 
was  all  and  more  than  memory  pictured  it! 
Surely  then  he  must  have  known,  beyond  a 
doubt,  that  her  whole  heart  bade  him  welcome  ! 

But  he  would  not  look  at  her.  He  turned  to 
make  his  way  out,  as  he  had  come,  pausing 
merely  to  ask,  with  resolutely  averted  eyes : 

"  Excuse  me,  but  can  you  tell  me  where  Eu 
genia  is  ?  " 

"In  her  dressing-room,  I  think,"  said  Mar 
garet,  in  a  voice  that,  in  spite  of  her,  was 
husky. 

"  I  want  to  speak  to  her,"  he  said,  and,  with 
out  another  word  or  look,  he  walked  away. 

Poor  Margaret !  Her  heart  was  sore  and 
troubled  at  the  sad  words  of  Charley  Somers' 
note.  In  her  own  state  of  happiness  and  hope, 
they  struck  her  as  a  thousand  times  more 


Across  the  Chasm.  293 

touching.  She  felt  restless  and  uneasy,  and 
she  would  have  given  much  for  some  slight 
sign  of  protecting  care  and  tenderness  from 
Louis.  She  was  ready  to  relinquish  everything 
for  him.  She  knew  that  he  could  make  up  to 
her  for  the  loss  of  all  else ;  but  although  he 
must  have  seen  that  she  was  troubled,  he  could 
bear  to  leave  her  with  that  air  of  cold  compos 
ure  !  A  dreadful  doubt  and  uncertainty  seized 
upon  her,  and  she  went  to  her  room  feeling 
lonely  and  dispirited. 

There  was  to  be  a  large  ball  that  night,  and 
it  was  not  until  Margaret  came  down  to  dinner, 
and  observed  that  Mr.  Gaston's  place  was  va- 
'  cant,  that  she  learned  from  Cousin  Eugenia 
that  he  had  excused  himself  from  both  dinner 
and  the  ball.  She  did  not  ask  for  any  expla 
nation,  and  Mrs.  Gaston  only  said  that  she 
supposed  he  had  work  to  finish.  No  one  took 
any  special  heed  of  his  absence,  but  Mar 
garet  remembered  that  it  was  her  last  dinner 
with  them,  and  felt  hurt  that  he  should 
have  absented  himself ;  the  ball  was  suddenly 


294  Across  the  Chasm. 

bereft  of  all  its  delight.  She  knew  there  was 
something  wrong,  and  her  heart  sank  at  the 
thought  that  there  might  be  no  opportunity 
for  explanation  between  them.  But  then  she 
remembered  the  unfinished  sentence  that  Gen 
eral  Gaston's  entrance  had  interrupted  the 
night  before,  and  she  felt  sure  that  all  must 
come  right  in  the  end. 

Animated  by  this  strong  conviction,  and  re 
membering  that  she  would  not  leave  until  late 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  she  dressed 
for  the  ball  in  a  beautiful  toilet  of  Cousin  Eu 
genia's  contriving,  composed  of  white  silk  and 
swan's-down,  resolved  to  throw  off  these  fancied 
doubts  and  misgivings  as  far  as  possible.  In 
spite  of  all,  however — though  Cousin  Eugenia 
went  into  ecstacies  over  her  appearance,  and 
she  had  more  suitors  for  her  notice  than  she 
could  have  remembered  afterward — the  evening 
was  long  and  wearisome  to  her,  and  she  was 
glad  when  Cousin  Eugenia  came  to  carry  her 
off  rather  early,  in  anticipation  of  the  fatigues 
of  the  next  day. 


Across  the  Chasm.  295 

When  they  reached  home  there  was  a  bright 
light  in  the  library,  and  Louis  was  sitting  at 
the  table  writing. 

"Is  that  you,  Louis?"  said  Mrs.  Gas  ton, 
calling  to  him  from  the  hall :  "  Margaret  must 
give  you  an  account  of  the  ball,  for  I  am  too 
utterly  worn  out.  Go,  Margaret — and  lest  you 
should  not  mention  it,  I'll  preface  your  account 
by  saying  that  Miss  Trevennon  was,  by  all 
odds,  the  beauty  and  belle  of  the  occasion." 

With  these  words  she  vanished  up  the  stair 
case,  whither  her  husband  had  preceded  her. 

Half  glad  and  half  timid,  Margaret  advanced 
toward  the  centre  of  the  room,  and  when  Louis 
stood  up  to  receive  her,  she  could  not  help 
observing  how  careworn  and  grave  he  looked. 
There  was  a  troubled  expression  in  his  face  that 
touched  her  very  much.  Something  had  hap 
pened  since  last  night.  She  felt  more  than  ever 
sure  of  it ;  and  it  was  something  that  had 
stirred  him  deeply. 

"  I  am  glad  the  last  ball  was  such  a  success 
ful  one,"  he  said,  placing  a  chair  for  her,  and 


296  Across  the  Chasm. 

then,  going  over  to  the  mantel,  he  stood  and 
faced  her. 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  ball,"  said  Margaret ; 
"the  rooms  were  exquisite." 

"Were  they  supplied  with  mirrors?"  he 
asked,  folding  his  arms  as  he  looked  down 
at  her,  steadily. 

"  Mirrors  ?  Oh  yes  ;  there  were  plenty  of 
mirrors." 

"And  did  you  make  use  of  them,  I  wonder, 
Miss  Trevennon  ?  Do  you  know  just  how  you 
look,  in  that  beautiful  soft  gown,  with  the 
lovely  white  fur  around  your  neck  and  arms? 
I  should  fancy  it  might  tempt  one  to  the  mer 
maid  fashion  of  carrying  a  mirror  at  the 
girdle." 

He  smiled  as  he  spoke — a  resolute,  odd 
smile  that  had  little  merriment  in  it. 

"What  have  you  been  doing,  all  this  time?  " 
she  asked,  wishing  to  lead  the  conversation 
away  from  herself. 

"  Working,"  he  answered  ;  "  writing  letters 
— doing  sums — drawing  plans." 


Across  the  Chasm.  297 

"How  you  love  your  work  !  "  she  said. 

"  Yes,  I  love  my  work,  thank  God  !  "  he  an 
swered,  in  a  fervid  tone.  "It  has  been  my 
best  friend  all  my  life,  and  all  my  dreams  for 
the  future  are  in  it  now." 

"  You  love  it  almost  too  much,  I  think.  It 
takes  you  away  from  everything  else.  Do  you 
mean  to  work  in  this  way  always  '?  Have  you 
no  other  visions  of  the  future  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  have  had  visions  !  "  he  said,  thrust 
ing  his  hands  into  the  pockets  of  his  sack- 
coat,  and  bracing  himself  against  the  end  of 
the  mantel,  while  he  looked  at  her  steadily  as 
he  spoke.  "I  have  had  visions — plenty  of 
them !  They  mostly  took  the  form  of  very 
simple,  quiet  dreams  of  life  ;  for  I  have  already 
told  you,  Miss  Trevennon,  by  what  a  very 
demon  of  domesticity  I  am  haunted.  The 
sweetest  of  all  thoughts  to  me  is  that  of  home 
— a  quiet  life,  with  a  dear  companion — that 
would  be  my  happiness.  Exterior  things 
would  be  very  unimportant." 

He  seemed  to  rouse  himself,  as  if  from  some 


298  Across  the  Chasm. 

sort  of  lethargy  which  he  dreaded,  and,  stand 
ing  upright,  he  folded  his  arms  across  his 
breast,  and  went  on : 

"  But  if  I  had  this  vision  once,  I  have  put  it 
from  me  now,  and  only  the  old  routine  remains 
—business  and  reading  and  a  half-hearted  in 
terest  in  society.  There  is  music,  but  that  I 
mistrust ;  it  brings  the  old  visions  back,  and 
shows  me  the  loneliness  of  a  life  in  which  they 
can  have  no  part.  So  it  is  no  wonder,  is  it, 
that  I  call  my  work  my  best  friend  ?  " 

Poor,  poor  Margaret!  Her  heart  sank 
lower  and  lower,  and  when  he  finished  with 
this  calmly  uttered  question,  a  little  shudder 
ran  through  her. 

"I  am  cold,"  she  said,  rising;  "I  must  go." 

He  went  and  brought  her  white  wrap  from 
where  she  had  thrown  it  on  a  chair,  and  with 
one  of  his  peculiarly  protecting  motions  he 
threw  it  around  her.  Then,  gathering  the  soft 
folds  in  his  hands  on  each  side,  he  drew  them 
close  across  her  breast,  and  held  them  so  a 
moment,  as  he  said : 


Across  the  Chasm.  299 

"  Yes,  Margaret,  you  must  go.  And  it  is  not 
for  the  night,  nor  for  the  season,  nor  even  for 
the  year  ;  it  is  forever.  What  would  you  say 
to  me,  if  you  knew  we  were  never  to  see  each 
other  again  ?  " 

"  Most  likely  we  never  shall,"  she  said, 
speaking  in  a  cold,  vacant  way. 

"  And  what  will  you  say  to  me  ?  What  will 
you  give  me  to  remember?  " 

"  I  can  only  say  good-bye,"  she  answered  in 
the  same  dull  tone. 

"Good-bye,  then,  Margaret.  Good-bye, 
good-bye,  good-bye;  and  may  God  Almighty 
bless  you,"  he  said,  and  she  felt  the  hands  that 
rested  against  hers  trembling.  He  looked  long 
and  sear chingly  into  her  face,  with  a  scrutinizing 
steady  gaze,  as  if  he  would  photograph  upon 
his  mind  its  every  line  and  feature.  And  then 
the  light  folds  of  her  wrap  were  loosened,  his 
hands  fell  heavily  to  his  side,  and  he  stepped 
back  from  her. 

Like  a  woman  walking  in  her  sleep  she 
passed  him,  her  long  draperies  trailing  heavily 


300  Across  the  Chasm. 

after  her  as  she  crossed  the  hall  and  began  to 
ascend  the  stairs.  Her  step  was  heavy  and 
she  moved  slowly,  and  Louis,  watching  her 
from  below  with  eyes  that  were  wild  with  long 
ing  and  lips  that  were  stern  with  repression, 
held  his  breath  in  passionate  expectation  that, 
as  she  turned  at  the  bend  of  the  stairs,  she 
might  give  him  one  last  look.  But  her  eyes, 
as  the  sweet  profile  came  in  view,  were  looking 
straight  before  her,  and  the  tall  white-clad 
figure  was  almost  out  of  sight  when,  without 
willing  it,  without  meaning  it,  absolutely  with 
out  knowing  it,  he  arrested  her  by  a  hurried, 
half-articulate  call. 

"Margaret !  "  he  cried,  in  a  voice  that  seemed 
not  to  be  his  own,  so  strange  and  altered  was  it. 

The  weary  figure  paused,  and  she  turned  and 
looked  down  at  him.  A  little  glimmer  of  the 
bright  joy,  which  had  been  so  lately  smothered 
out  of  life,  shot  up  in  her  heart  as  she  heard  him 
call  her  name,  but  when  she  looked  at  him,  it 
died.  He  was  standing  with  his  arms  folded 
tightly  together,  and  a  look  of  the  most  rigid 


Across  the  Chasm.  301 

self-control  in  his  whole  aspect.  A  man  that 
loved  her  could  never  look  at  her  like  that,  she 
thought,  and  she  felt  at  that  instant,  more  than 
ever,  that  she  had  deceived  herself.  Complete 
weariness  seemed  to  master  her.  Her  chief 
feeling  was  that  she  was  tired  to  death.  What 
was  the  use  of  going  back? 

"I  have  something  to  say  to  you,"  said 
Louis,  in  a  voice  that  was  colder  than  it  had 
been  yet.  "  Come  back,  for  a  moment  only." 

She  was  very  weak,  and  it  seemed  easier  to 
comply  than  to  refuse  ;  so,  very  silently  and 
slowly,  Margaret  retraced  her  steps. 

As  the  beautiful  white  vision  drew  nearer, 
step  by  step,  the  young  man's  whole  heart  and 
soul  went  out  to  meet  her,  but  at  the  same 
moment  his  physical  frame  retreated,  and  he 
withdrew  into  the  room  before  her,  conscious 
only  that  he  still  held  possession  of  himself,  and 
that  the  spirit  within  him  was  still  master  of 
the  body.  Long  habit  had  accustomed  him  to 
frequent  renunciation.  All  these  years  he  had 
been  resisting  and  overcoming,  in  smaller 


302  Across  the  Chasm. 

things,  with  the  conscious  knowledge  that  he 
was  thereby  acquiring  power  which  would 
enable  him  to  conquer  when  greater  tempta 
tions  should  come.  And  now  he  knew  that  his 
mightiest  temptation  was  hard  upon  him. 

He  pressed  his  arms  tighter  together  across 
his  breast,  set  his  lips  and  held  his  breath,  as 
his  temptation,  clad  in  a  wondrous  long  white 
garment,  wafting  a  sweet  fragrance  and  waking 
a  murmuring  silken  sound,  came  near  to  him, 
and  passed  him  by. 

When  Margaret  had  actually  moved  away 
from  him,  and  thrown  herself  weakly  into  a 
low,  deep  chair,  and  he  realized  that  his  arms 
were  still  folded,  his  lips  still  set,  he  drew 
in  his  breath,  with  a  long  respiration  that 
seemed  to  draw  into  his  heart  a  mortal  pain  ; 
and  he  knew  that  his  practice  had  stood  him  in 
good  stead,  and  that  his  strength  had  proved 
sufficient  in  his  hour  of  need. 

It  would  have  been  only  for  a  moment.  All 
he  wanted  was  to  take  her  in  his  arms  an 
instant,  and  kiss  her  just  once,  and  then  he 


Across  the  Chasm.  303 

could  have  let  her  go  forever,  and  counted  him 
self  a  happy  man  to  have  lived  that  moment's 
life.  That  was  all ;  but  that  he  felt  himself  in 
honor  bound  to  renounce,  because  he  believed 
her  to  be  pledged  to  another  man.  And  he 
had  accomplished  the  renunciation ;  but  now 
that  this  was  so,  he  felt  an  impatient  rebellion 
against  further  discipline.  The  resistless  tor 
rent  of  his  love  and  despair  rushed  over  him, 
and  nothing  should  keep  him  from  speaking ! 
Words  could  do  her  no  harm,  and  there  were 
words  that  burnt  upon  his  lips,  whose  utter 
ance  alone,  it  seemed  to  him,  could  keep  his 
brain  from  bursting. 

He  opened  his  lips  to  speak,  but  the  words 
refused  to  come.  There  was  a  spell  in  the 
silence  that  he  felt  powerless  to  break.  The 
room  was  absolutely  free  from  either  sound  or 
motion.  Margaret  had  dropped  her  weary 
body  sideways  in  the  cushioned  chair,  with  her 
long  white  robe  sweeping  behind  her,  and  her 
face  turned  from  him,  so  that  only  her  pro 
file  was  in  view. 


304  Across  the  Chasm. 

The  young  man  stood  and  looked  at  her, 
possessed  by  the  sense  of  her  nearness,  en 
thralled  by  the  spell  of  her  beauty.  He  could 
see  the  rise  and  fall  of  her  bosom  under  its  cov 
ering  of  silk  and  fur,  and  there  was  a  dejected- 
ness  in  her  attitude  that  made  a  passionate  ap 
peal  to  his  tenderness.  She  was  very  pale,  and 
her  lowered  lids  and  a  little  drooping  at  the 
corners  of  her  mouth  gave  her  lovely  face  a 
most  plaintive  look.  She  was  tired  too ;  the 
inertness  of  the  pliant  figure,  with  the  motion 
less  bare  arms  and  relaxed,  half-open  hands, 
showed  that  plainly  enough.  Fragile  and 
slight  and  weary  as  she  was,  how  could  she 
endure  the  battle  of  life  alone,  and  who,  of  all 
men  in  the  world,  could  strive  and  struggle 
for  her  as  he  could?  The  thought  of  her 
woman's  weakness  was  a  keen  delight  to  him 
at  that  moment.  He  had  never  felt  him 
self  so  strong.  With  a  quick  motion  that 
emphasized  his  thought,  without  interrupting 
the  stillness,  he  threw  out  his  right  arm 
and  clinched,  his  hand  with  a  conscious  pleas- 


Across  the  Chasm.  305 

ure  in  his  strength.  Nerves  and  veins  and 
muscles  seemed  to  tingle  with  sentient  animal 
force. 

All  these  excited  thoughts  passed  through 
his  brain  with  lightning-like  swiftness,  but 
now,  at  last,  the  silence  was  broken  by  a 
sound.  It  was  a  very  gentle  one — a  short, 
faint  sigh  from  Margaret ;  but  its  effect  was 
powerful.  It  roused  the  young  man  from  his 
absorption  and  recalled  him  to  reality. 

He  sat  down  a  little  space  away  from  her, 
and  with  his  fervid  eyes  fixed  on  her  pale  pro 
file  and  lowered  lids,  began  to  speak. 

"  It  was  an  impulse,  not  a  deliberate  pur 
pose,  that  made  me  call  you  back,"  he  said.  "  I 
should  perhaps  have  done  better  to  let  you  go, 
but  I  did  not,  and  now  you  are  here,  and  I  am 
here,  and  we  are  alone  in  the  stillness  together, 
Margaret,  and  you  will  have  to  listen  to  what  I 
have  to  say.  I  think  you  must  know  what  it 
is.  My  efforts  to  keep  the  truth  out  of  my 
eyes  when  I  looked  at  you,  and  out  of  my  voice 

when  I  spoke  to  you,  have  seemed  to  me  mis- 
20 


306 


erable  failures  many  a  time,  and  I  dare  say  you 
have  known  it  all  along." 

He  paused  a  moment,  still  looking  at  her. 
There  was  not  a  quiver  in  the  still  face  pressed 
against  the  cushions,  but  at  his  last  words  the 
beautiful  arm  was  uplifted  and  laid  against  her 
cheek,  hiding  her  face  from  view,  as  the  slim 
hand  closed  upon  the  top  of  the  chair,  above 
her  head.  It  was  an  attitude  full  of  grace. 
The  white  wrap  had  fallen  back,  leaving  bare 
the  lovely  arms  and  shoulders,  and  revealing 
perfectly  the  symmetry  of  the  rounded  figure. 
Although  the  face  was  hidden,  he  could  see 
every  exquisite  line  and  tint  of  it,  in  his  mind's 
eye,  almost  as  plainly  as  he  saw,  with  his  actual 
vision,  the  soft  masses  of  hair  drawn  back  from 
the  little  shell-like  ear,  and  the  portion  of  white 
cheek  and  throat  which  her  screening  arm  did 
not  conceal. 

In  spite  of  strong  repression,  the  hot  blood 
overflowed  the  young  man's  bounding  heart  and 
sent  a  glow  of  dark  color  surging  over  his  face. 
Something — a  little  fluttered  movement  of  the 


Across  the  Chasm.  307 

breast — revealed  to  his  confused  consciousness 
that  Margaret  herself  was  not  unmoved.  He 
rose  and  advanced  toward  her. 

"  You  know  it,"  he  said ;  "  but  let  me  put  into 
words  the  sweet,  despairing  truth.  I  love  you, 
Margaret.  Oh,  good  and  beautiful  and  true 
and  sweet,  how  could  I  choose  but  love  you !  " 

He  dropped  upon  his  knees  before  her,  and 
in  this  low  position  he  could  see  her  lovely, 
tremulous  lips.  At  something  in  their  expres 
sion  a  sudden  little  flame  of  hope  shot  up  in 
his  heart. 

"  Margaret."  he  said,  in  a  deep,  commanding 
tone  that  was  almost  stern,  while  all  the  time 
his  hands  were  clinched  together,  so  that  he 
touched  not  so  much  as  the  hem  of  her  dress — 
"  Margaret,  look  at  me.  Let  me  see  straight 
into  your  eyes." 

There  was  no  disobeying  that  tone,  which 
he  now  used  to  her  for  the  first  time.  She  felt 
herself  mastered  by  it,  and,  lowering  her  arm, 
she  showed  to  him  her  loving  eyes,  her  trem 
bling  lips,  her  entranced  and  radiant  face. 


308  Across  the  Chasm. 

Instantly  his  arms  were  around  her,  his  lips  to 
hers,  in  an  embrace  so  tender,  a  kiss  so  sweet, 
as  can  come  only  in  that  rare  union  of  fresh 
ness  and  completeness  for  which  all  the  past 
lives  of  these  two  young  souls  had  been  a 
preparation. 

"You  were  wrong.  I  did  not  know,"  she 
said,  presently,  breaking  the  long  silence  and 
murmuring  the  words  very  softly  in  his 
ear. 

"  Then  you  have  been  dull  and  blind  and  deaf, 
my  darling,  my  darling,  my  darling ! "  he  said, 
lingering  caressingly  upon  the  repetition  of  the 
poor  little  word,  which  is  the  best  we  have  to 
convey  the  tenderest  message  of  our  hearts. 
"Do  you  know  it  now,  or  do  you  need  to  have 
it  proved  to  you  still  further  ?  Let  me  look  at 
you." 

But  she  would  not  lift  her  head  from  its  safe 
and  happy  resting-place,  and  her  eyes  refused 
to  meet  his  until  he  said  again : 

"  Margaret,"  in  that  stern,  sweet  voice  which 
thrilled  and  conquered  her ;  and  then  she  lifted 


Across  the  Chasm.  309 

up  her  eyes,  and  fixed  them  with  a  fervent  gaze 
on  his. 

"  God  help  me  to  deserve  you,  Margaret,  my 
saint,"  he  murmured,  as  he  met  that  look  of 
lovely  exaltation.  "  It  hurts  me  that  you  have 
to  stoop  so  far." 

"  I  do  not  stoop,"  she  answered.  "  You  have 
pointed  me  to  heights  I  never  dreamed  of.  We 
will  try  to  reach  them  together." 

Later,  when  their  long  talk,  including  the 
short  explanation  of  their  misunderstanding, 
was  over,  and  they  were  parting  for  the  night, 
with  the  blessed  consciousness  that  they  would 
meet  to-morrow  in  the  same  sweet  companion 
ship — with  the  thought  in  the  mind  of  each 
that  the  future  was  to  be  always  together, 
never  apart,  Louis  went  with  her  into  the 
hall,  to  watch  her  again  as  she  ascended  the 
stairs. 

When  she  had  gone  but  a  few  steps,  she 
paused,  leaning  over  the  banister  : 

"  Doesn't  it  seem  funny,"  she  said,  the  seri- 


310  Across  the  Chasm. 

ous  happiness  her  face  had  worn  giving  place 
to  a  merry  smile,  "  such  a  Yankee  and  such  a 
Kebel,  as  you  and  I !  Let  us  set  an  example 
of  letting  by-gones  be  by-gones,  and  shake 
hands  across  the  bloody  chasm !  " 


THE   END. 


MRS.  BURNETTS 

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